Cynicism as a strategic virtue

Justice as a Virtue

In sub-subunit 1.4.2, it is made clear that for Aristotle a crucial precondition of virtue is that actions must be intentional. For Aristotle, voluntary action—or intention—is required if praise or blame is to be appropriate. Praise and blame are important in that they testify to that which is virtuous in the polis, which substantiates the virtues among the citizenry and subsequent generations ...

Education as an Antidote to Cynicism

Although cynical beliefs about human nature yield numerous adverse consequences for individuals’ life outcomes and well-being, very little is known about factors that counteract the development of cynical beliefs. Drawing from the literature on the “education effect” describing the importance of education in overcoming close-mindedness and negative views of others, we propose that education can...

Open-Mindedness as a Critical Virtue

This paper proposes to examine Daniel Cohen’s recent attempt to apply virtues to argumentation theory, with special attention given to his explication of how open-mindedness can be regarded as an argumentational or critical virtue. It is argued that his analysis involves a contentious claim about open-mindedness as an epistemic virtue, which generates a tension for agents who are simultaneously...

On Hope as a Moral Virtue

Virtue ethics as a way forward

Links between commerce and journalism have existed since William Caxton introduced the printing press to England. What is different today is the massive scale of these connections, and the corresponding intensity of the pressures on journalism’s greatest traditions and most noble aspirations. These pressures are especially acute in the current global economic climate, which, in conjunction with...