Full Idea
It can be claimed that universality is a necessary property of any ethical theory and therefore virtue theory, which fails in this respect, is not a theory, and hence poses no alternative to genuine ethical theories.
Gist of Idea
Virtue theory isn't a genuine ethical theory, because it doesn't have universal application
Source
Daniel Statman (Introduction to Virtue Ethics [1997], §5)
Book Reference
'Virtue Ethics', ed/tr. Statman,Daniel [Edinburgh 1997], p.20
A Reaction
Replies: a) totally universal morality is an idle dream (part of the 'Enlightenment Project' to prove everything) and we must settle for something more relative; b) virtues aren't totally universal, but they are truths about humanity. I prefer b).