Final answer:
True, virtue ethics has evolved in three main directions: eudaimonism, agent-based theories, and the ethics of care. These represent a character-focused shift in ethics, moving away from deontological and consequentialist views, especially in the context of declining religiosity and gender considerations in twentieth-century societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that virtue ethics has been developed in three main directions in the twentieth century: eudaimonism, agent-based theories, and the ethics of care, is indeed true. These developments represent a shift away from strictly deontological and consequentialist frameworks to one that is more character-focused, exemplified by the cultivation of virtues and moral character.
Eudaimonism is an approach based on the idea of achieving one's highest good, or eudaimonia, often translated as flourishing or well-being. Agent-based theories emphasize the moral importance of traits and virtues intrinsic to individuals as moral agents. Meanwhile, the ethics of care suggests that moral action centers on interpersonal relationships and the virtues of care and empathy, highlighting the moral significance of our connections with others.
In the twentieth century, as societies faced declining religiosity and skepticism towards universal moral laws, ethical theories evolved. Critiques by feminists, like those suggesting that traditional moral theories did not adequately represent women's moral experiences, led to the development of ethics of care, contributing to the pluralistic landscape of modern moral theory.