Personal Relationships in Virtue Ethics

This chapter argues that virtue ethics offers a promising framework for understanding the nature and value of personal relationships. Unlike consequentialism and deontology, virtue ethics prioritizes the agent’s own perspective, focusing on human flourishing, the importance of emotional life, and the development of moral character. In particular, I argue that, especially when supplemented by the idea of relational virtues—such as filial piety and the virtue of friendship—virtue ethics offers a plausible account that captures the unique ethical significance of personal relationships. Additionally, I argue, the idea of virtuous relational activity helps justify partiality towards one’s intimates from a virtue-ethical perspective. I conclude by suggesting how virtue-ethical approach, supplemented by the idea of relational virtue, can further enrich our understanding of ethics in personal relationships. Overall, this chapter aims not only to survey existing approaches but also to structure and extend the emerging virtue-ethical discourse on the normativity of personal relationships.