-THE MORAL AGENT: DEVELOPING VIRTUE

AS A HABIT

A moral agent is a person who has the ability to discern right from wrong and to be held
accountable for his or her own actions. Moral agents have a moral responsibility not to cause
unjustified harm. Traditionally, moral agency is assigned only to those who can be held
responsible for their actions.

Moral Character refers to the existence or lack of virtues such as integrity, courage, fortitude,
honesty, and loyalty. To say that a certain person has character means that he/she is a good
person and a good citizen with a sound moral compass.

1. MORAL CHARACTER AND VIRTUES

The term “Character” is derived from the Greek word 'charakter' which was initially used as a
mark impressed upon a coin. The word “character” later came to mean a distinct mark by which
one thing was distinguished from other, and then chiefly to mean the assemblage of qualities that
distinguish one person from another. This stress on distinctiveness or individuality tends to
merge “character” with “personality” in modern usage. For instance, when thinking of person's
idiosyncratic mannerisms, social gesture, or habits of dress, we might say that “he has
personality or that “he's quite a character.”

 The use of ethics of the word “character,” however, has a different linguistic history. The
Greek Philosopher Aristotle tells us that there are two distinct of human excellences: (1)
excellences of thought and (2) excellences of character. His phrase for excellences of
(moral) character, 'ethikai aretai,' is often translated as “moral virtue(s) and moral
excellence(s).” The Greek 'ethikos' (ethical) is the adjective cognate with 'ethos'
(character). So when we speak of a 'virtue' or an excellence of moral character, the
highlighting is not on mere distinctiveness or individuality, but on the blend of qualities
that make a person the sort of ethically admirable individual he/she is.

 “Moral character,” therefore, in philosophical sense, refers to having or lacking moral

virtue. If one lacks virtue, he/she may have any of the moral vices or he/she may be
marked by a condition somewhere in between virtue and vice, such continence or
incontinence.
 Moreover, philosophers usually think that moral character traits, unlike other personality
or psychological traits, have an irreducible evaluative dimension; they involve a
normative judgement. The agent is morally responsible for having the moral character
trait itself or for the outcome of that trait. Hence, a certain character trait is a trait for
which the agent is morally responsible.

2. THE CIRCULAR RELATION OF ACTS AND CHARACTER

In the process of moral development, there is the circular relation between acts that build
character and moral character itself. Not all acts help to build moral character, but those acts
which emanate from moral characters certainly matter in moral development. Hence, there
appears that apparent circular relationship between individual acts and moral character. This
goes to show that moral development should also be understood the sense of human flourishing.
- Virtuous traits of character ought to be stable and enduring and are not mere product of fortune,
but learning, constant practice, and cultivation.
Virtuous traits of character ought to be stable and enduring and are not mere products of fortune,
but of learning, constant practice, and cultivation. But we have to add that virtuous traits of
character are called excellences of human being because they are the best exercise of reason,
which is the activity characteristic of human beings. In this sense, The Greek moralist believe,
virtuous acts complete or perfect human life.

 Among human beings, moral character traits-either virtues or vices- are also considered
as disposition. Moral character traits are those dispositions of character for which it is
suitable to hold agents morally responsible. A moral character trait for which a person is
deserving of a positive reactive attitude, such as praise or gratitude, is a virtue. On the
other hand, a vice is a moral character trait for which the agent is deserving of a negative
reactive attitude, such as resentment or blame.
 In other words, a good moral character is practically a disposition to do virtuous acts.
Oppositely, a bad moral character is, in effect, a disposition to do vicious deeds.

3. Moral Character as Disposition

The moral character traits that constitute a personal's moral character are characterically
understood as behavioral and affective disposition. - Dispositions are particular kinds of
properties or characteristics that object can possess.

Among human beings, moral character traits - either virtue or vices - are also considered as
disposition.

Six Stages of Moral Development and Getting to the Highest Level, Conscience Based Moral
Decisions Lawrence Kohlberg - developed his theory based on Jean Piaget’s work in moral
development

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development

Level 1(Pre-Conventional)
Stage #1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation (age 2 – 5)
Morality is based upon the physical punishment that follows an action, rather than right or
wrong. The concern is for self - "Will I get into trouble for doing (or not doing) it?" Good
behavior is associated with avoiding punishment.
EX: The child won’t grab the candy at the supermarket for fear of being spanked.
Stage #2: Relativist Orientation (age 5 – 7)
The concern is "What's in it for me?" Action is judged right if it helps in satisfying one's needs or
involves a fair exchange.
EX: A mother tells her child: “If you are quiet at the mall, I will buy you an ice cream.”
Level 2 (Conventional)
Stage #3: Good Boy/Nice Girl Orientation (age 7 – 12)
People should live up to the expectations of the family and community and behave in "good"
ways. Good behavior means having good motives and interpersonal feelings such as love,
empathy, trust, and concern for others.
EX: Volunteering at a nursing home is the right thing to do.
EX: Rosa Parks refused to sit in the back of the bus because it was an unjust law discriminating
against African Americans.

 VALUES or good moral values once they are habitually practiced, they turned into
virtues.
 VALUE comes from the Latin word ‘VALERE’ which means ‘to be of worth.’
 VALUE means primarily, to price, to esteem, to appraise, to estimate.
 It is an act of cherishing something holding it clear and also the act of passing judgment
upon the nature and amount of its value as compared with something else.
 HUMAN VALUES are the virtues that guide us to take into account human element
when one interacts with one other human being. They are our feelings for the human
essence of others. It’s both what we expect others to do to us and what we aim to give to
other human beings. These human values give the effect of bonding, comforting and
reassuring

MORAL VALUES
a. Acceptance: having an objective attitude toward others’ ideas and practices that differ from
your own.
b. Compassion: understanding the suffering of others or self and wanting to do something about
it.
c. Courage: willingness to do difficult things.
d. Equality: believing everyone deserves equal rights and to be treated with respect.
e. Fairness: acting in a just way, sharing appropriately.
f. Generosity: willingness to give resources, help or time to others.
g. Honesty: being truthful and sincere.
h. Integrity: sticking to your moral and ethical principles and values.
i. Kindness: being considerate and treating others well.
j. Perseverance: persisting in a course of action, belief or purpose.
k. Politeness: using good manners, acting in socially acceptable way.
l. Respect: showing consideration for the worth of someone or something.
m. Responsibility: being reliable in your obligations.
n. Self-control: staying in control of your words and behavior