Vol. 38 No. 2 (2018): Virtue Ethics
Articles

In defence of an exemplarist approach to virtue education

Michel Croce
University of Edinburgh

Published 2018-12-18

Keywords

  • virtue,
  • moral education,
  • exemplarism,
  • Linda Zagzebski

How to Cite

Croce, M. (2018). In defence of an exemplarist approach to virtue education. Teoria. Rivista Di Filosofia, 38(2), 135–146. https://doi.org/10.4454/teoria.v38i2.51

Abstract

This paper explores the educational implications of Linda Zagzebski’s recent Exemplarist Moral Theory. It purports to do so by comparing what I consider to be the basics of an exemplar-based educational approach with the standard approach to virtue formation, as it has been proposed by Steven Porter. After introducing four traditional strategies for fostering virtue formation in the young, I briefly summarize Zagzebski’s view and shed light on the educational principles that the view entails. Then, I discuss some common features and relevant differences between an exemplar-based educational approach and the standard approach. Finally, I attempt to defend both views against a couple of recent objections.