Final answer:
Certain ethical theories like utilitarianism, consequentialism, virtue ethics, and deontological ethics satisfy different extents of completeness, explanatory power, practicability, and moral intuition. Utilitarianism is practical but may conflict with moral intuition, whereas virtue ethics aligns with intuition but may lack in practicality. Deontology offers clear rules but may be inflexible in complex scenarios.
Step-by-step explanation:
After surveying a variety of ethical theories, I find that certain theories better satisfy the four major criteria for evaluating any ethical account: completeness, explanatory power, practicability, and moral confirmation/intuition. For instance, utilitarianism, a form of consequentialism, provides a clear directive to maximize pleasure and minimize pain, which has explanatory power and is practical to implement in daily decision-making. However, it may fall short on moral confirmation as some intuitively wrong actions could be justified if they lead to greater overall happiness.
Virtue ethics, focusing on character rather than individual actions, aligns well with moral intuition and stresses the importance of moral virtues in achieving a well-lived life. It offers a holistic approach, which some may find more complete than other theories. Deontological ethics, which prioritizes duty and rules, provides a strong moral foundation based on principles that align with many people's moral intuitions. However, its rigidity may limit practical application in complex situations where the rules are not clear-cut.
In summary, while different ethical theories like utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and deontological ethics may pass muster in various respects, none completely satisfies all four criteria perfectly. They each provide a different approach to moral reasoning and may be favored in different contexts, depending on their alignment with individual or societal values.