The tradition of virtue ethics is most closely linked with which philosopher?

• A. Kant
• B. Aquinas
• C. Aristotle
• D. Hobbes

Answer: (C)

Virtue ethics centers on character formation and the cultivation of virtuous dispositions—the habits that guide a person to act rightly. Among the thinkers listed, Aristotle is the philosopher most closely associated with this approach. He argues that the good life is eudaimonia (flourishing), achieved by practicing virtues as settled dispositions that enable rational beings to act well. Virtues are not just rules or calculated outcomes; they are balanced traits shaped through repeated practice and guided by practical wisdom (phronesis) to find the appropriate mean in different situations. While Aquinas draws on Aristotle within a Christian framework, and Kant and Hobbes exemplify other ethical routes—Kant through duty, Hobbes through social contract—the tradition most tied to evaluating character and living well is Aristotle’s.