Major Tony Pfaff uses this example to illustrate his article on virtue ethics in the military versus other rule-based methods. This dilemma would be relatively simple to solve based upon a utilitarian viewpoint-you would do what ultimately benefit the most people while at the same time minimizing unhappiness to others. Kantian theory would throw a red flag at the prospect of using the ci

vilian as a means. So what do you do when you don't have a clear-cut rule to follow? According to this author virtue ethics is what the United States military leaders need to follow-especially in the times when each moral decision causes suffering.

The author of this article proposes a technique for assessing what traits are morally valuable. According to Pfaff we should use "special virtues" to determine the traits that have moral worth. Special virtues say that "If, in the context of this tradition we decide that something is itself a good end, like leadership, we can adopt special virtues that will help us realize that end."

This is accomplished by asserting the special virtues called forth from certain professions. The author distinguishes between an occupation and a profession. An occupation requires only an obligation to oneself, whereas professions have obligatory traits. For example, a doctor must heal the sick, regardless of how he feels about any instance. A soldier must fight in war regardless of how he feel

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Approximate Word count = 700
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)