Question

Read the following scenario and provide advice to the individual involved. You need to tell us what a virtue ethicist would recommend doing here. Show your work – do not just tell us what they would recommend doing, explain why, using the moral theory, they would recommend this course of action.

To apply virtue ethics, use the doctrine of the mean, focusing on the virtues and vices involved in this situation. The theory is subjective, so you need to choose which virtues receive priority here. What kind of person should the actor strive to be here?

“There is a dog in my neighborhood that NEVER stops barking. He is the subject of countless complaints. Where I live there are mediation procedures to follow if a dog is noisy, but the local authorities have minimal actual authority to do anything about it. The worst they can do is tell the owner to try to control their dog, which of course he doesn't do. I've lived on this street for almost 10 years and it has turned my friendly, harmless, mild mannered neighbors into angry, sleep deprived zombies. Recently I discovered that two of the neighbors are plotting to "eliminate" the dog. Most of the other neighbors know about it, but they pretend not to know. The two-people involved researched the law and precedents, and they are certain they won't be discovered, and if they do, they'll receive a small fine. Despite being a dog lover, I sympathize with what they want to do—the dog is a real terror around here. But there is a part of me that feels I should warn the owner. What should I do?”

Answer 1

Virtual ethics demands a person to be honest, have ideal character traits, kind and generous; it looks at the moral character of the person rather than focusing on the consequences of the action. It deals with how one should live, be good to the society.

The doctrine of mean wants a person to act that is neither extreme nor deficit that means a person has to use rational principle and wisdom that is a virtue, which means how one stands concerning the passion in the given circumstances.

In this passage, the dog is the problematic character, killing the dog would solve the problem but by virtue the act of killing is wrong.

The two neighbors, who are planning to kill the dog

The neighbors know that the owner would not act even if they go and complain about the dogs barking to the officials, he would be warned by the official and the same harassment would go on.

This is the place where the author was staying for the last 10 years and he/she is comfortable staying there.

When the author comes to know about the planning of eliminating the dog is being done by two of the neighbors and other neighbors are pretending as if they are not aware of the planning.

Knowing this the ethical virtues tell me that killing is bad, and it is against moral ethics. One has no right to take the life of a human or an animal. If she/he listens to her passion then she/he can also pretend as if she/he is not aware of the planning.

But after knowing the situation the dilemma is to save the dog or let it gets eliminated. The virtual ethics says to save the animal. The act has to be done that would not let the neighbors harm the dog and the problem is also solved.

The owner of the dog does not pay any attention to the neighbor's complaints.

I have to be honest with my action and it has to be best under these circumstances. The circumstances say that the dog is a nuisance but not dangerous.

The best action would be to warn the owner that he is risking the life of his dog by not taking complaints of the neighbors seriously. If the situation goes out of control and something untoward happens to the dog then he would be responsible.

This way I suppose I can make him understand the situation and if he loves his dog he will understand the underlying threat to the dog.