In the context of the recent revival of virtue ethics, the notion of character formation under the rational guidance of Aristotle's notion of "phronesis," or practical wisdom, has been exalted as the principal aim of moral education. However, this is not unproblematic insofar as the promotion of Aristotelian "phronesis" seems…

In contrast to ancient times, friendship is rarely discussed nowadays as a resource in moral education. Even within Aristotle-inspired character education, where it could naturally claim pride of place, its coverage is miniscule compared, say, to that of the emulation of moral exemplars. The aim of the present article is to retrieve friendship as…

Many authors have claimed a moral and educational significance for wonder. In this article Anders Schinkel assesses these claims in order to address the question whether we do indeed have reason to stimulate the sense of wonder and to provoke experiences of wonder in education with a view to its moral effects or importance. Are there moral effects…

The suggestion to equate values with purpose is considered. The advantage of value development over moral development is that values apply to a broader category of ideas while morality has a more confined and narrow application. All students and teachers should attempt to become both creators and appreciators of values. (JN)

The relationship between moral thinking at the level of specific rules and precepts and at the abstract, universal level is discussed, and it is argued that the first-level virtues are as necessary as those based on abstraction. The demands of education for moral life in a pluralistic society are considered. (PP)

Instruction in democracy is not primarily a matter of arbitrarily imposing our society's ways on immature individuals. For Dewey, the interests of a democratic society lie in maximizing the potential of the individuals constituting it. Both the social system and the educational process are responsible for contributing to individual development.…