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How should we go about defining or understanding what "virtues" are in the modern world?

In a pluralistic, secular, and technologically complex society, the ancient catalogs of virtue can feel outdated. I'm looking for contemporary philosophical or sociological work that attempts to construct a viable, reasoned understanding of virtue for today, addressing new challenges like digital ethics or environmental stewardship.

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By Raghu Answered 1 year ago

Defining modern virtue requires integrating timeless concerns with new contexts. From my reading in contemporary ethics, I find the work of philosophers like Alasdair MacIntyre on practices and narratives, and Martha Nussbaum on capabilities, to be foundational. I would recommend a framework that sees virtues as the stable character traits needed for human flourishing within today's specific challenges: for example, digital integrity as an extension of honesty, or ecological care as a new form of practical wisdom. The core understanding remains about cultivating excellent character, but its expression must engage with a globalized, technological world.

 

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