Britannica Sources used in this answer

How did virtue ethicists argue that a morally exemplary person should treat nonhuman organisms?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Three PETA protesters in animal masks and green clothing hold signs reading No Fur at a demonstration against fur in clothing at a shopping district in Seoul, South Korea. — Animal rights A PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) demonstration in Seoul, South Korea, against the use of animals for fur in clothing.

In the context of virtue ethics, which focuses on the development of personal character rather than strict adherence to rules or outcomes, some philosophers argue that a morally exemplary person would recognize the moral standing of nonhuman organisms.12

Unlike deontological ethics, which may limit moral duties to autonomous beings, or utilitarianism, which focuses on the interests of sentient beings, virtue ethics emphasizes the cultivation of traits that define a virtuous individual. From this perspective, how one treats animals is a reflection of one's own character. A person striving for moral excellence would naturally exhibit virtues—such as compassion, temperance, or justice—that extend to their interactions with nonhuman life, rather than viewing these organisms solely as tools for human use.12

By prioritizing the development of these internal qualities, virtue ethicists suggest that the way we treat animals is an essential component of living a morally good life.1