​How To Develop A Virtuous Character - Aristotle (Aristotelianism)

Summary

This video explores Aristotle's Virtue Ethics, emphasizing the importance of developing a virtuous character to achieve eudaimonia, or living well. Aristotle argues that virtues are learned through practice and reflection, and striking a balance between extremes is key. The video discusses moral and intellectual virtues, practical wisdom (phronesis), and philosophical contemplation as essential components of virtuous living. By consistently exercising virtue in daily actions, practicing practical wisdom, and engaging in mindful reflection, individuals can cultivate a virtuous character and flourish in life.

Takeaways

• 📚 Aristotle believed that living a virtuous life requires a daily exercise of reasoning, and cannot simply be chosen instantly.
• 🧠 Virtues, according to Aristotle, are developed through habits and practice, with intellectual virtues learned via education and moral virtues through repetition.
• 🎯 Aristotle's concept of 'eudaimonia' is about flourishing or living well by achieving virtue and acting according to reason.
• ⚖️ Virtue, in Aristotle's view, is a balance between two extremes, or the 'mean,' with virtues like courage or truthfulness being a midpoint between deficiency and excess.
• 💡 Practical wisdom (phronesis) is essential for making correct judgments and striking the mean between extremes, guiding moral virtues.
• ⏳ Aristotle emphasized that gaining phronesis requires experience, learning how to apply virtues like honesty in real-world situations.
• 💪 Aristotle taught that virtuous actions become easier through habit, likening moral development to practicing a musical instrument.
• 🧘 Reflection and philosophical contemplation are crucial in Aristotle’s ethics, allowing us to critically evaluate actions and develop our character.
• 🙏 Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and reflection, are ways to directly and indirectly cultivate practical wisdom and virtue in everyday life.
• 🔮 Aristotle believed that contemplation, a virtue even valued by the gods, is the highest form of happiness and key to achieving eudaimonia.

Q & A

What is Aristotle’s concept of eudaimonia?

Eudaimonia, according to Aristotle, is often translated as ‘happiness,’ ‘flourishing,’ or ‘living well.’ It refers to achieving happiness through developing virtuous character and living to one's highest human potential.

How does Aristotle define virtues?

Aristotle defines virtues as dispositions to choose good actions and passions, guided by moral knowledge. Virtues can be either intellectual, learned through instruction, or moral, developed by habits.

What is the relationship between virtue and practical wisdom in Aristotle's philosophy?

According to Aristotle, virtue helps us aim at the right end, while practical wisdom, or phronesis, enables us to take the right means. Practical wisdom is essential for making informed moral decisions that align with virtue.

What is the 'mean between extremes' in Aristotle's virtue ethics?

Aristotle's 'mean between extremes' refers to the idea that virtue lies between two vices: one of excess and one of deficiency. For example, courage is the mean between cowardice (deficiency) and rashness (excess).

How does Aristotle suggest we develop a virtuous character?

Aristotle suggests that developing a virtuous character requires practice and habit. By repeatedly choosing virtuous actions in daily life, individuals cultivate the right dispositions over time.

What is phronesis, and why is it important in Aristotle's ethics?

Phronesis, or practical wisdom, is the ability to judge the right course of action in specific situations. It is crucial because it guides moral virtues and helps individuals strike the mean between extremes in their actions.

How does Aristotle differentiate between intellectual and moral virtues?

Intellectual virtues, like scientific knowledge (episteme) and practical wisdom (phronesis), are learned through education. Moral virtues, such as courage and temperance, are developed through habit and repeated practice.

What role does contemplation play in achieving eudaimonia?

Aristotle believes that contemplation, especially philosophical reflection, is essential for achieving the highest form of eudaimonia. It allows individuals to constantly evaluate their thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

How does Aristotle compare human virtues to divine virtues?

Aristotle argues that while human virtues like courage and justice are necessary for addressing practical concerns, the Gods would not need these virtues. Instead, the Gods engage in pure contemplation, which Aristotle sees as the highest virtue.

Why is practical experience important for developing phronesis?

Practical experience is necessary for developing phronesis because it helps individuals learn how to apply virtues like honesty and courage in specific, real-life situations. Without experience, one cannot fully develop practical wisdom.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Aristotle's Influence on Virtuous Living

Aristotle, one of history’s most influential philosophers, defined a virtuous life as essential for flourishing. He emphasized that living optimally requires the daily exercise of reasoning and a gradual development of virtuous character. Aristotle, a student of Plato and tutor to notable figures like Alexander the Great, produced numerous treatises that covered topics like metaphysics, ethics, and political theory. His works, such as *Nicomachean Ethics* and *Politics*, remain relevant today. Central to his philosophy is the concept of *eudaimonia* (flourishing), achieved through virtuous living and exercising our human capacities.

05:04

🧠 Balancing Virtues: Striking the Mean

Aristotle’s theory of virtue ethics revolves around the idea of finding a balance between two extremes: excess and deficiency. Courage, for instance, is the mean between cowardice and rashness. Acting virtuously involves responding appropriately in situations, ensuring fears and confidences are balanced for the sake of nobility. Through practice and experience, one can develop a character that embodies virtues, such as truthfulness and friendliness, while avoiding vices like boastfulness or flattery. Aristotle encourages adopting a virtuous mindset to navigate life’s challenges by striking the right balance.

10:07

🦸 Practical Wisdom: The Path to Virtuous Action

Aristotle emphasizes that virtuous living is inseparable from practical wisdom (*phronesis*), which allows individuals to make judgments that help them find the mean between extremes. Acquiring practical wisdom is akin to learning a skill, requiring experience and practice. This wisdom enables people to understand when and how to act virtuously, considering context and balance. It’s essential for making decisions that reflect the right course of action, embodying the virtues that lead to a flourishing life. By honing *phronesis*, one can achieve eudaimonia and become the ideal *Phronimos*—a person of practical wisdom.

15:08

💡 The Role of Reflection in Virtuous Living

Philosophical contemplation and reflection are pivotal in developing virtuous character. Aristotle argues that happiness is closely linked to contemplation, and that by regularly reflecting on our actions, we learn from mistakes and improve our virtues. Reflection allows us to critically analyze our thoughts and behavior, making adjustments that align with virtuous living. By contemplating experiences—such as moments of anger or truthfulness—we better understand how to apply moral virtues appropriately, learning to strike the balance that leads to eudaimonia.

20:10

🧘 Living a Reflective and Virtuous Life

Aristotle concludes that true virtue cannot be attained without a significant degree of reflection and contemplation. Practicing awareness throughout daily life—evaluating choices, feelings, and consequences—enables one to refine moral virtues like truthfulness, courage, and temperance. Repeated contemplation helps prevent the same mistakes and brings insight into how humans can flourish. The practice of virtuous habits, combined with practical wisdom and philosophical reflection, leads to the development of a virtuous character and, ultimately, to living a life of eudaimonia—flourishing through the harmonious application of reason and virtue.

Keywords

💡Virtue

Virtue refers to a moral excellence or quality that defines good human behavior. In the video, Aristotle's concept of virtue is central, as he believes it is developed through practice and habit. Virtue involves finding a balance between extremes, such as courage being the balance between cowardice and rashness.

💡Eudaimonia

Eudaimonia is often translated as 'happiness' or 'flourishing,' and it refers to the highest form of human good according to Aristotle. In the video, eudaimonia is achieved by living a life of virtue, where a person continuously strives to act and think in ways that develop their character and lead to a fulfilled, well-lived life.

💡Practical Wisdom (Phronesis)

Practical wisdom, or phronesis, is the ability to make the right decisions in specific circumstances. Aristotle considers it essential for achieving virtue, as it enables a person to find the 'mean' between excess and deficiency in their actions. In the video, practical wisdom is likened to learning a musical instrument, requiring practice and experience.

💡Moral Virtues

Moral virtues are qualities that are developed through habit and practice, such as courage, temperance, and truthfulness. These virtues help people act appropriately in various situations by striking a balance between two extremes. The video emphasizes that moral virtues are not innate but learned over time through consistent virtuous behavior.

💡Intellectual Virtues

Intellectual virtues are qualities of the mind, including knowledge and wisdom, that guide virtuous thinking. Aristotle distinguishes these from moral virtues, which guide actions. Intellectual virtues, such as reason (nous) and philosophical wisdom (sophia), are developed through education and learning, and are necessary for thinking virtuously.

💡Contemplation

Contemplation is a form of reflection or deep thought, which Aristotle believes leads to the highest form of happiness or eudaimonia. The video highlights contemplation as essential for developing a virtuous character, allowing people to examine their actions and thoughts critically. Aristotle argues that contemplation is a virtue of the gods, making it the most perfect state of being.

💡Virtuous Character

A virtuous character is one that consistently chooses to act in accordance with virtues, balancing emotions and actions with reason. The video explains that developing a virtuous character requires adopting a mindset focused on ethical behavior, practicing practical wisdom, and engaging in contemplation. Over time, this leads to living a flourishing life.

💡The Mean Between Extremes

This concept refers to Aristotle's belief that virtues lie between two extremes—one of excess and one of deficiency. For instance, courage is the mean between cowardice (deficiency) and rashness (excess). The video explains that by consistently aiming for the mean, people can act virtuously and maintain balance in their behavior.

💡Habit

Habit plays a crucial role in Aristotle’s theory of virtue, as moral virtues are developed through repeated practice of virtuous actions. In the video, habit is described as the process by which we cultivate virtues like honesty and courage. Over time, these habits shape a person’s character and help them consistently make virtuous choices.

💡Phronimos

The phronimos is a person who embodies practical wisdom and lives a life of virtue. This individual, through experience and good judgment, consistently makes the right choices and is therefore eudaimon, or flourishing. In the video, the phronimos is described as someone who has mastered the ability to act in the mean between extremes.

Highlights

Aristotle believed that a virtuous life is a process requiring daily exercise of reasoning.

Eudaimonia, or 'flourishing,' is achieved by developing a virtuous character and living to our highest human capacity.

Virtue, according to Aristotle, involves choosing good actions informed by moral knowledge.

Moral virtues are developed by habit, while intellectual virtues are learned through education.

Aristotle’s concept of striking a mean between extremes defines virtuous behavior.

Courage is a key example of balancing fears and confidence to act nobly and virtuously.

Practical wisdom (phronesis) helps individuals find the right balance in their actions and moral decisions.

Developing practical wisdom requires experience, social interaction, and reflection on life.

Mindfulness and daily awareness are recommended as practices to develop practical wisdom.

Philosophical contemplation, according to Aristotle, is essential for achieving true happiness.

Aristotle argues that contemplation is the most superior form of eudaimonia.

Meditation and self-reflection are ways to exercise awareness and develop virtuous character.

Practical wisdom allows us to critically evaluate situations and make virtuous decisions.

Aristotle emphasizes that to live well, we must continuously reflect on our choices and actions.

The combination of a virtuous mindset, practical wisdom, and contemplation leads to the development of virtuous character.

Transcripts

Aristotle is one of the most influential philosophers of all time and had a remarkable way of understanding

what it means to live well or flourish, and by extension, what it means to have a virtuous

character.

Aristotle believed that people can choose whether to live an optimal, the best, the

most favorable quality of life or sub-optimal life, a less than the highest standard of

quality of life.

However, we can’t just wake up one day and choose to live a good, virtuous life.

Becoming virtuous is a process and it requires us to exercise our capacity of reasoning on

a daily basis.

Aristotle is a Promethean figure in the history of the world, who lived between 384-322 B.C.E.

He was first a student of Plato, then, when Plato retired, he left the Academia which

Plato founded, and he became the tutor of Alexander The Great, and of two other future

kings: Ptolemy and Cassander.

He established a library in the Lyceum and produced over two hundred treatises, of which

only about thirty-one still exist.

His writing and reflections explored a wide range of disciplines; some of these include

accounts within areas of logic, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, ethics, and political

theory, among others.

Some of his surviving work like “treatises”, “Physics”, “Metaphysics”, “Nicomachean

Ethics”, “Politics”, “On the Soul'' and “Poetics” is relevant even today,

influenicing more than two millennia of scientists and theologians alike, both fascinated by

his ideas.

One of Aristotle’s concepts was eudaimonia which is also rendered as ‘happiness,’

‘flourishing’ or ‘living well’, which conceptualizes that happiness is best achieved

through developing virtuous character and by living to our highest degree of human capacity.

Aristotle defined virtues as dispositions to choose good actions and passions, informed

by moral knowledge of several sorts.

For Aristotle, virtues can be intellectual or moral, the intellectual ones are learned

by instruction or education, the moral ones are developed by habits.

Performing virtuous acts can be motivated by having a practical purpose or by the desire

to act in a virtuous way or by both.

In this video, we will explore what one might need to develop virtuous character in accordance

with Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics Theory.

Adopt a Virtuous Mindset Aristotle says “Virtue lies in our power,

and similarly so does vice; because where it is in our power to act, it is also in our

power not to act …”

Aristotle’s focus on character education is based on virtue.

Aristotle distinguishes between two types of virtue: moral virtue and intellectual virtue;

thinking virtuously requires the intellectual virtues, and acting virtuously requires our

moral virtues.

Some intellectual virtues include scientific knowledge known as episteme, artistic or technical

knowledge known as techne, reason known as nous, practical wisdom known as phronesis,

and philosophical wisdom known as sophia.

On the other hand moral virtues are not innate, but acquired by developing the habit of practice

and exercising these virtues.

For example, one only becomes truthful by acting truthfully.

Moral virtues may also be combined with intellectual virtues.

Some examples of the moral virtues are: courage, temperance, modesty, friendliness, truthfulness.

All these moral virtues are a ‘mean’ or ‘intermediate’ between two extremes; one

of excess and one of deficiency.

On the deficiency side, the moral vices include cowardice, insensibility, shamelessness, cantankerousness,

and understatement.

On the excessive side, we have: rashness, licentiousness, shyness, obsequiousness or

flattery, and boastfulness.

Aristotle talks of ‘striking the mean between extremes’ when illustrating his virtue ethics

theory.

For example, if we find ourselves in a situation where we are threatened by a colleague at

work, we can evaluate whether we will respond to this threat with cowardice, courage, or

rashness.

Cowardice and rashness are both classified as ‘extremes’ in this case, however courage

allows us to act out of virtue in a fitting, appropriate way.

In cowardice or rashness, we are not acting virtuously.

By having courage, we can stand up for ourselves, express our concerns about this threat, whilst

still maintaining the right spirit in terms of virtue.

For Aristotle, true courage is a disposition where fears and confidences are balanced and

mastered “for the sake of the noble”.

This essentially means that we can miss the mark by being too confident, or not confident

enough; fearing too much, or not enough, or fearing the wrong things, or fearing them

in inappropriate ways.

Therefore, we must act for the sake of nobility and appropriateness.

True courage expressed by a virtuous character thereby involves fearing the right things,

in the right ways, on the right occasions.

Forming a virtuous character would thereby involve summing up these sets of interdependent

virtues throughout our lifetime in which we would have hit the mean between extremes in

our experiences, thoughts, beliefs and responses, which allows us to live in harmony with our

reason and rationality, therefore in pursuit of eudaimonia.

Acts of virtue bring honor to an individual, while acts of vice bring dishonor.

In consideration of the current stresses we experience in our day to day lives, we might

find ourselves struggling to act in line with our virtues.

Often, we respond to our friends, loved ones and acquaintances in anger instead of courage

when we feel threatened; rashness instead of bravery when we are challenged; or unpleasantness

instead of friendliness when we are approached.

We may act this way because we had a rough morning, we didn’t sleep enough, or perhaps

we have pent up aggression.

Regardless of the cause, the more we act this way, the further we get from developing a

virtuous character.

If we were to adopt a mindset that allows us to evaluate the extremes and strike the

mean in every altercation, situation or occurrence, then we would be acting virtuously.

By acting virtuously and exercising this virtue over time and practice, we can familiarize

ourselves with the processes of selecting appropriate responses.

Thus the practice and familiarization therefore leads us to develop and refine a character

that acts, responds, thinks and believes in line with the virtues.

Or in other words, a virtuous character.

Because, as we mentioned earlier, one cannot be truthful without acting truthfully.

2.

Practice Practical Wisdom

According to Aristotle “Virtue makes us aim at the right end, and practical wisdom

makes us take the right means.”

According to Aristotle, one acquires good character the way one learns to play a musical

instrument; initially, you may be under some pressure to practice, but eventually you come

to enjoy playing with both skill and understanding.

Aristotle claims that full development of character apart from developing a virtuous

mindset, requires practical wisdom and rational reflection.

Eudaimonia, i.e. living well or flourishing, is thereby reached by living virtuously and

building up your character traits until you don’t have to think about your choices before

making the right one that strikes the mean between extremes.

Hence, to develop virtuous character, we must understand and appreciate the value of practical

wisdom, then proceed to practice it to build up our character traits.

Practical wisdom, i.e. phronesis, provides us with the ability to make judgements that

facilitate us in discovering the mean between two extremes, which thereby guides our moral

virtues.

Aristotle defines phronesis as the ‘eye of the soul’.

Having phronesis allows us to critically evaluate our situations, and therefore finely deliberate

about the weight of competing values, actions and emotions.

With this, we can formulate and reach informed decisions about the best course of action

that stem from virtue and virtuous character, and become the Phronimos.

The Phronimos is the person whose life is characterized by applications of phronesis

and who, as a result, tends to flourish throughout his life.

Such a person is said to be eudaimon, or “happy.”

Gaining phronesis requires experience.

Phronesis is concerned with particulars, because it is concerned with how to act in particular

situations, and which situations to act upon.

One must learn the principles and virtues, but for one to apply these in their lives,

one must have experience of the world.

If you know you should be honest, for example, you might act in certain situations in ways

that cause pain and offense; knowing how to apply honesty in balance with other considerations

and in specific contexts requires social interaction and real life experience of the world.

If you had some bad news to share with a friend, would you share it before or after a major

university exam?

Knowing how to apply honesty in balance, at the right time, and in an appropriate way

reflects a virtuous character.

According to Aristotle, “having one’s heart in the right place is not good enough:

being a good person requires a kind of practical intelligence as well as a good disposition.”

Additionally, he contends that “practical wisdom is a true characteristic that is bound

up with action, accompanied by reason, and concerned with things good and bad for a human

being.”

Having phronesis is therefore both necessary and sufficient for being virtuous.

Upon understanding the essence of phronesis and its connection with virtuous character

and, in the end, eudaimonia, we can proceed to explore how we may develop phronesis in

our daily lives.

We can do so directly, or indirectly.

Developing phronesis directly is done through daily mindfulness practice which involves

learning how to pay attention to what is going on within and around us as we go about our

daily life.

This can be done through mindful walking, driving, eating and self-kindness; practicing

each activity with mindful awareness.

Mindfulness can be practiced as simply as by eating slowly, eliminating distractions,

exercising awareness of the nutrients you are feeding your body, and focussing how the

food makes you feel.

The indirect development of phronesis is done as a form of reflection at the end of your

day or beginning of another.

One example includes spending 5 minutes in silence each morning preparing yourself for

the day ahead by visualizing the goals you would like to achieve, and then 5 minutes

each evening reflecting on what you may have learned during the day, or practicing gratitude

for things you might have noticed that made you feel good.

By sifting through and evaluating what is going on in our minds, which often involves

a collection of thoughts and feelings associated with past experiences, we are able to uncover

useful insights that allows us to develop the quality of our practical wisdom.

This includes more formal practices and reflection, such as quiet mindfulness meditation, which

allows us to gain practical insights that represent phronesis.

Doing so in our daily practices allows our virtuous character traits to flourish, and

as a result we learn to ‘live well’ or - as some may say - ‘eudaimoniously.’

3.

Contemplate and Reflect

In our third and final quote for this video, Aristotle says “Happiness, then, is co-extensive

with contemplation, and the more people contemplate, the happier they are; not incidentally, but

in virtue of their contemplation, because it is in itself precious.

Thus happiness is a form of contemplation.”

Aristotle asserts that a life of pleasant, vigorous philosophical contemplation is one

of a superior kind of eudaimonia, and therefore is the best kind of life to have.

He praises the other virtues of course, but maintains that these virtues require practice

when opportunities arise, but you don’t need the right opportunity to practice reflection

and philosophical contemplation.

Instead, all you need is a quiet space to breathe and think.

Reflection is, simply, serious thought or consideration.

In a more philosophical context, reflection is a component of reason that influences our

experiential learning and primarily involves critical awareness, contemplation, and careful

consideration of the ‘self.’

An example involves how you might reflect on a situation where you acted out of anger

instead of grace with a loved one.

Reflecting upon such a time allows you to realize the cause of your actions, realize

the effects and consequences caused by your anger, and contemplate the right course of

action.

More simply, it allows us to see what we would do differently if we had another chance, and

learn from it.

Philosophical contemplation allows us to construct knowledge and constantly evaluate whether

we are living well.

Aristotle went on to present an additional argument for why a life of philosophical contemplation

must be the most perfect state of eudaimonia.

He says that we can all agree that the Gods are above mortals, and experience a different

sort of life than we do.

Now, when we consider human beings, we understand the importance of virtues like justice because

we follow a system of law, courage because we need to stand up for ourselves in situations,

liberality because we fight for our freedom and our rights, and temperance because moderation

and restraint allows us to follow our goals.

Aristotle then asks “Would the Gods be interested in such virtues, or even have reason to apply

them?

He answers “No, these are trivial and ridiculous” among the Gods as they are not striving for

anything, or looking to set anything right.

The only activity that is worthy for the Gods is contemplation, and this is essentially

the virtue that is most valued as a pivotal aspect of human flourishing; a virtue of the

Gods”.

Thus, eudaimonia is connected with the activity of contemplating reality through reason.

It can be said as well that by repeating this activity of contemplation, we make use of

our practical wisdom which further increases our capacity for rational reflection and philosophical

contemplation, and, by extension, also enhances eudaimonia.

Upon illustrating Aristotle’s argument regarding the importance of philosophical contemplation,

as well as explaining the value of reflection in developing virtuous character, we can now

explore how we may apply these profound teachings in our daily lives.

As philosophers, we already live our daily lives beyond the practical realm; we live

our daily lives in the realm of ideas.

This realm of ideas, refers to an active stream of consciousness that consists of an inner

reflective monologue constantly analyzing issues, concepts, speculations and ideas.

Philosophical contemplation doesn’t require an opportunity; it can be done constantly

and continuously, like a voice inside our heads.

But this voice is often muffled by thoughts, moods, and distractions.

To best exercise our capacity for contemplation to develop virtuous character, set aside some

time each week for quiet, mindful meditation.

Meditation provides a sense of awareness of your thoughts, and serves as a platform to

evaluate the good in human life.

Find a quiet spot.

Take a deep breath.

Close your eyes.

Reflect.

We can embody a life of contemplation in several other ways.

Since true virtue cannot be attained without a certain degree of contemplation, exercise

awareness throughout your daily lives.

Take a moment to evaluate why you made a particular choice, notice how you feel after a certain

interaction, and consider the consequences of your actions.

If for example, you had a fight with somebody close to you, take a deep breath and think

if you applied any of the moral virtues we discussed earlier, in excess or in deficiency.

Perhaps you find that you hid something essential from that person, you had used truthfulness

in deficiency and this caused that person to be angry with you.

Or, by contrast, maybe you find that you shared too much with that person, you said some truth

that hurt them.

In this case, perhaps you should have given less painful details or framed the issue in

a kinder way.

For most of our life problems, the causes are the excessive or deficient application

of moral virtues.

If we take the necessary time to contemplate and reflect on our lives, we can learn to

not repeat the same mistakes over and over again.

Exercising awareness in your day-to-day situations feeds valuable insight into your reflections

and contemplation.

Contemplation can help reveal the ways in which you - or any human - can flourish with

respect to Aristotelian virtues.

Therefore, for one to be truly eudaimonic, one must exercise virtue by exercising contemplation.

Aristotle conveys an important connection between virtuous character and living well

or flourishing throughout his works, which also prove to be very relevant in our modern

day setting.

First, we investigated Aristotle’s notion of virtuous character, and how one must approach

character education with a virtuous mindset.

Adopting a virtuous mindset thereby allows us to actualise virtues in our daily lives

.

Secondly, we discussed the value of practical wisdom, or phronesis, and how that applies

to the achievement of a virtuous character.

With phronesis, we can facilitate making the right judgements that strike the mean between

extremes and guide us in practicing our virtues in a practical, habitual sense.

Aristotle places great value on the connection between embodying a virtuous mindset and practicing

phronesis when striving for eudaimonia.

Only with practical wisdom can humans gain the practical intelligence to act virtuously

at the right time, in the right way.

Finally, we addressed the importance of philosophical contemplation and reflection.

Aristotle recognises contemplation as the most perfect form of eudaimonia; a virtue

of the Gods.

By living an examined life, we are therefore able to construct knowledge and consistently

evaluate our thoughts, beliefs, actions and judgements in order to exercise virtue and

develop virtuous character.

To become a virtuous person and to develop virtuous character, combining the three notions

illustrated in this video are essential.

We must repeat and practice elements of virtue to form the habit of embedding our virtues

into our daily actions; once we form habitual practices through adopting a virtuous mindset,

consciously exercise practical wisdom in our judgements, and ensure we take time to reflect

on our activities, we can develop virtuous character.

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Thanks so much for watching.