Chapter 2: The Role of Virtue Ethics in Society and Human (Development) Education

This chapter deepens the understanding of virtue ethics as a fundamental pillar in the pursuit of a flourishing and progressive society. It argues that the character of citizens is important to the realization of the much-desired good society, especially as virtue ethics plays a crucial role in human development and in fostering a life of happiness and societal progress. A key concern raised in this chapter is the absence of value-based education in contemporary academic curricula. This absence, this chapter argues, allows individuals to attain academic qualifications yet falls short of embodying the character befitting an educated person. Because virtues are not innate but rather can be nurtured through deliberate personal and societal efforts – such as experiences, practices, habits, mentorship, and education; it will benefit the current human societies to incorporate a virtue-based academic curricular. True human and education progress require a transformation in mindset and disposition, achieved through education in virtues.