THE FAMILY AS AN INSTITUTION FOR CULTIVATING VIRTUES AMONG THE YOUTH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71105/Keywords:
Virtue ethics, Amoris Laetitia, Aristotle, Education , FamilyAbstract
There is a dichotomy between the cognitive dimension of education and morality in the learning process that leads to the gap between learning and living/acting. But virtue ethics escapes such a dichotomy because it presents practical wisdom as a guide both to our moral acting and reasoning about the good. It is unfortunate that most education institutions many a time have paid little attention to holistic education that cultivates virtues that enable learners to have proper moral understanding. These institutions pay only lip service to the moral upbringing of people since their main focus is on profit maximization. This makes education to be market driven. The encyclical Amoris Laetitia notes that parents rely on schools to ensure the basic instruction of their children but not their moral formation. There is therefore the need for an active role for the family in cultivating intellectual and moral virtues in order to deal with the challenges of today’s global society.
References
Aquinas, Thomas. 1948. The Summa Theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas. Trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province. New York: Benziger Brother.
Aristotle, 1985. Nicomachean Ethics, Book 5, Trans Terence Irwin. Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company.
Aristotle, and J. E. C. Welldon. 1923. The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle.Trans.with Analysis and Critical Notes. London: New York: Macmillan and Co., limited; The Macmillan Company.
Bansikiza, Constance. 2003. Restoring Moral Formation in Africa. Eldoret: AMECEA Gaba Publications.
Bok, Derek. 2004. Universities in the Market Place: The Commercialization of High Education. New York: Princeton University Press.
Chan, Lucas. 2015. The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes: Biblical Studies and Ethics for Real Life. Bengaluru: Dharmaram Publications.
Ekwueme, EvaristusOkechukwu. 2014. “What Am I Doing When I Am Being Corrupt: An
Epistemology Corruption?” Corruption in Africa: A Threat to Justice and Sustainable Peace. Eds. Elizabeth Nduku and John Tenamwenye. Geneva: Globethics.net, 49-67.
Evans, Mary. 2004. Killing Thinking: The Death of the University. New York: Continuum.
Finance, Joseph. 1991. A Ethical Inquiry. Roma: Editrice Pontificial Universita Gregoriana.
John Paul II. (22 November 1981). Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio. 17-86.
Kambona, Grace Richard. 2017. “The Duty of the Christian Family in the Church and Society.”
Chiedza: Journal of Arrupe Jesuit University, 19, 2, 91-105.
Keenan, F. James. 1995. Proposing Cardinal Virtues. Theological Studies, 56.
Keenan, F. James. 2000. Virtue and Identity. Concilium, 2, 1.
Keenan, F. James. 2011. The Lack of Professional Ethics in the Academy. Louvain Studies. 35, 98-116.
Keenan, F. James. 2018. Character Formation and Virtue Ethics: A Moral Theologian’s Point of View. Vinayasadhana. IX, 1, 7-24.
Kochappilly, Paulachan. 2013. Family as the Foundation of Formation. Asian Horizons. 7, 2, 342- 356.
Kotva, J. Joseph. 1996. The Christian Case for Virtue Ethics:Moral Traditions & Moral Arguments. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
Kuhumba, K.Shijja. 2017. The Role of Ethical Education in Building Human Capital: A Pre-Requisite for Tanzanian Industrial Strategy. Chiedza: Journal of Arrupe Jesuit University, 19, 2, 62-78.
MacIntyre, Alasdair. 2007. After Virtue, 3rd ed. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
Msafiri, Aidan. 2012. Educating for Transformative Environmental Justice and Peace in African
Universities: A Paradigm Shift. Globalization of Concern II: Essays on Education,Health, Climate, Change and Cyberspace. Ed. Aidan Msafiri. Geneva: Globethics.net Press, pp. 37-56.
Msafiri, Aidan. 2012. Responsible Leadership and Governance as Effective Tool in Responding to Climate Change Challenges: An Inter-faith and Value Based Approach. Journal of African Tomorrow 12: 4, pp. 67-90.
Msafiri, Aidan. 2016. Ethics in Higher Education: A Rethink for a Transformative Model in Africa. Paper Presented at Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
Msafiri, Aidan. 2013. Investing in human capital: A pre-requisite for sustainable development and poverty reduction in Tanzania. African Contextual Ethics: Hunger, Leadership, Faith and Media. Eds. Elisabeth Nduku and ChristophStüeckelberger. Geneva: Globethics.net Publications, pp. 75-96.
Norton, L. David. 1988. Moral Minimalism and the Development of Moral Character. Midwest
Studies in Philosophy XIII: Ethical Theory: Character and Virtue, ed. Peter A. French,
Theodore E. Uehling Jr., and Howard K. Wettstein. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
Ricouer, Paul. 1992.Oneself as Another. Trans. Kathleen Blamery. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Pope Francis. 2016. AmorisLaetitia.
Stückelberger, C., Cui W., Teodorina L., Wang D., Liu Y., and Zhang Y. 2016. Entrepreneurs with Christian Values. Geneva: Globethics.net Publications.
Stückelberger, Christoher. 2007. Stewards and Careholders: A Christian ethical perspective.
Responsible leadership: Global and contextual ethical perspective. Eds.
ChristophStückelberger and Jesse N.K. Mugabi. Geneva: Globethics.net, pp. 3-12.
Stückelberger, Christopher. 2014. Responsible Leadership Handbook: For Staff and Boards. Geneva: Globethics.net Publications.
Stückelberger, Christopher. 2002. Global Trade Ethics. Geneva: WCC Publications.
Tarimo, Aquiline. 2014. African Natural Resources and Corruption. Journal of Concilium 5, pp. 48-57.
Tunu, Uhai Wilhelmina. 2018. Moral Education for Holistic Transformation in Africa. Asian Horizons, 12, 1, 66-78.
Woodhill, Joseph. 1998. The Fellowship of Life. Washington, DC; George Town University Press.
