ticism is that not all moral virtues are a mean between extremes. For example, if justice is a virtue is there anything such as too much justice? Another criticism is that ethics are situational in that they must often arise from the conditions and specifics of a certain culture in a certain time and place. As Mackinnon (2001) notes, ôAristotleÆs own list of virtues reflected what were considered civic virtues of his day. Our lists today might more reflect aspects of our own timeö (111). A further criticism of AristotleÆs ethics stems from research and theories that distinctions between the way males and females morally reason exist. Carol GilliganÆs work posits the notion that males and females consider different moral aspects when reasoning. For instance, males tend to be more dissociated from their decisions, while females are more empathetic and relations oriented.
LockeÆs Second Treatise on Government discusses the natural rights of man in the state of nature. These rights are God granted rights that are the right of all human beings in order to function well. Chief among these are the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. However, in the state of nature chaos and brutality reign. There are no checks-or-balances in the state of nature that curbs individual desire in order to protect these inalienable rights of man. As such, in the state of nature one manÆs person or property is subject to attack or loss without any recourse. While the individual may be completely free in the state of nature, there is no means of protecting these rights because in the state of nature might makes right. Locke explains the state of nature as follows: ôa state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit, within the bounds of the law of Nature, without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other manö (Mackinnon 2001, 102).
For these re...