• Virtues of Character

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    The virtues of character are discussed in several insightful podcast clips, offering diverse perspectives on what constitutes good character and how virtues can be developed:

    1. David Brooks distinguishes between "resume virtues" (skills and achievements) and "eulogy virtues" (qualities like honesty and courage) in his conversation with Oprah Winfrey. Character, for Brooks, involves making consistent, disciplined choices that build habits and establish a solid core of values over time. He emphasizes humility as accurate self-awareness: recognizing one's strengths and weaknesses without delusion 1.

    2. Robert McGrath and Ryan Niemiec explain the distinction between virtues and character strengths. They trace back to ancient moral traditions that identify key virtues like wisdom, courage, and justice. Character strengths are specific traits that collectively form these virtues. McGrath notes that modern research has condensed these into broader categories like caring, inquisitiveness, and self-control 2.

    3. Leon Kass discusses Aristotle's differentiation between intellectual virtues (related to intellect, like wisdom) and moral virtues (related to character, like courage and moderation). Kass shares personal experiences emphasizing the importance of character over mere intellect, highlighting virtues that help manage our passions and desires 3.

    4. Christian Miller emphasizes that virtuous behavior must be complemented by virtuous motives. Good character involves consistent, admirable actions driven by proper motivations, not self-serving reasons. He also discusses the impact of emulating moral exemplars, like Abraham Lincoln, to cultivate virtues in oneself 4 5.

    These discussions provide a comprehensive view of character virtues, drawing from both ancient philosophy and modern psychology to underline their significance and teachability.

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