Final answer:
Virtue ethics, focusing on character cultivation, sometimes lacks clear action guidance in complex situations or when virtues conflict. Critics argue it doesn't provide an actionable framework for all ethical dilemmas unlike deontology or utilitarianism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Virtue ethics is sometimes considered incomplete because it focuses solely on the character traits of individuals rather than providing clear guidelines for every moral situation. For example, imagine a scenario where there's a conflict between two virtues, such as honesty and compassion. According to virtue ethicists, a person with good character would naturally know the right thing to do. However, critics of virtue ethics argue that without specific rules or consequences to guide actions, it can be difficult to determine which action is actually right, especially in complex situations where virtues may conflict.
Sir William David Ross highlighted this issue by noting that moral systems like classic utilitarianism and deontology, which offer single practical principles, oversimplify moral life. Virtue ethics requires the cultivation of excellent character traits or dispositions (virtues) but may not provide an actionable framework for all ethical dilemmas. Indeed, in situations where competing duties arise, such as deciding whether to lie to protect someone, virtue ethics struggles to offer concrete guidance compared to the clear directives provided by deontology or the measurable outcomes emphasized by utilitarianism.