Understanding Virtue

It is a pioneering study, and will appeal to anyone interested in the scientific study of virtue. * R. White, CHOICE *
Discourses on conceptualizations and measurements of virtue(s) within philosophy and psychology tend to run on parallel tracks with only the barest mutual acknowledgement -- to the detriment of both disciplines. Here is finally a book that integrates insights from those two discursive fields in innovative and exciting ways. The authors have opened up a whole new chapter in the history of virtue research. This is moral psychology, in its broadest sense, at its best. * Kristján Kristjánsson, Professor of Character Education and Virtue Ethics, University of Birmingham *
Many scholars in recent years have undertaken interdisciplinary studies on virtue, yet few have succeeded in undertaking meaningful and deep collaborative work that truly speaks to multiple disciplines. Wright, Warren and Snow is a rare example of this difficult approach done right. Their thoughtful insights on what virtue is and how it should be measured represents a groundbreaking achievement and an admirable standard for future studies. This book is a must-read for both social scientists working in morality and philosophers interested in empirically-informed accounts of virtue. * Eranda Jayawickreme, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Senior Research Fellow, Program for Leadership and Character, Wake Forest University *
If you want to know how to make a deep, coherent, and intellectually sound contribution to two disciplines with one theory, read this book. Wright, Warren, and Snow knowledgeably consider the arguments from both philosophy and psychology about a wide range of theories, claims, and assessments of virtues and propose an outstanding and ambitious plan for future scholarship. And they do it all in an engaging and crystal clear style. * William Fleeson, Hultquist Family Professor of Psychology, Wake Forest University *