There are various traditions within virtue ethics, with the Aristotelian and Buddhist virtue ethics being among the most influential. In virtue ethics, morality is seen as a reflection of personal character rather than being solely focused on consequences (as in consequentialism), intentions (as in deontology), social systems (as in contractarianism), relationships and roles (as in ethics of care and Confucianism), or shared humanity (as in ubuntu). According to virtue ethics, moral behavior entails doing the right thing in the right circumstances for the right reasons. Being virtuous involves more than just intentions, actions, or relationships alone; it requires responding to situations in a virtuous manner. For instance, courage may involve not only facing the fear of defeat in battle but also confronting the fear of shame by surrendering to prevent unnecessary casualties. Aristotle discusses virtue as a mean between extremes, such as courage being the balance between cowardice and foolhardiness, and temperance between overindulgence and abstemiousness. A person with virtuous character responds appropriately to situations through moderation and self-control, even if it means deviating from conventional rules, as emphasized in the Buddhist tradition by the concept of “skillful means” (upāya kaushalya).