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Abstract
Aristotle developed virtue ethics as normative ethical theory and it remained influential for centuries but lost favor in the modernist and post-modernist era of today. One reason for that falling out of favor was the philosophic argument that disagreed with Aristotle's telos (meaning end purpose) that is a critical foundation concept in his theory. The modern counter argument challenges that critical assumption of virtue ethics by saying that there is no proof of an end purpose for humans.
Agreeing with George Frederickson, this article argues a profession, such as public administration, does have a telos and thus disagrees with contemporary arguments that virtue ethics is logical foolishness at least when used in the context of a profession. This article builds on the contemporary work of Alastyre MacIntyre and his concept that every "practice" has an aim or end purpose. Thus, for public administration, virtue ethics is relevant because its professional purpose is the benevolent pursuit of the public interest. Those in public administration can and should use and develop virtues such as justice, courage, and truthfulness to help them counter the common institutional temptations that drive lesser ethical people to seek wealth, fame, and power instead of advancing the public interest.
Introduction
Virtue Ethics is properly associated with Aristotle (284 - 322 BCE) but in our times it is also properly associated with Alastyre MacIntyre, who currently is a Senior Research Professor at the University of Norte Dame. For many centuries, it was the primary approach to ethics; but with the influence of modernism and post modernism in the twentieth century, virtue ethics fell out of favor. One of the corner stones of virtue ethics is the concept of telos (end purpose), which this article explores in the context of the professional practice of public administration.
The organization of this article is divided into several parts. After this brief introduction, the next section presents a description of Aristotle's virtue ethics with an explanation of the importance of telos in virtue ethics. Next, the article examines the modernism and post modernism critique of ethics and then the direct challenge to telos itself. The article then addresses Maclntyre's concept of practice. Next, the article explains the interrelationship of practice and profession. And finally, some...