The word "virtue" is derived from the latin, "vir" (man, male, masculine). This explains why "virtus", the latin word for virtue is defined as "manly strenght"; "manly courage"; or "manly ecxellence". Of course this is not to say that virtue referes to men alone. Virtue includes both sexes, male and female. Ref: www.selfknowledge.com/105816.html www.uvawise.edu/philosophy/honr303/Aquinas13.html A more complete definition of "virtue" therefore would be that virtue is a disposition, or a capacity, or an attitude by which a person is moved to seek and carry out ethically good or morally good acts. As virtue develops, it becomes a habitual and firm disposition that stands in the face of obstacles even at the cost of sacrifice. For more on this see: www.angelfire.com/country/answers/virtuedef.html www.catholicity.com/school/icu/c00406.htm To develop virtue can be challenging and painstaking over time. It is not something that we develop once and for all, period. No. It must be constantly worked on to be sustained and developed. For more information on this refer to the article of Mark Haverland www.mindspring.com/~jreap/mdh0798.html ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIRTUE. There are two main ways to approach the teaching and development of virtue. One approach places emphasis on starting with Government and Institutions. According to this position, if Goverment and Institutions are virtuous, the individuals within them shall becaome virtuous. This approach certainly has its own merits. However, many other ethicists insist that the primary focus in the teaching and development of virue must be fron the individuals. This is because, to quarantee a virtuous government or institution, the individuals within them must first become virtuous. For more information on this debate, read Christina Holf Sommers article: www.forerunner.com/forerunner/x0116Teachingthe virtue.html Other references for information on virtue can be found in: http://www.libertyhaven.com/theoreticalorphilosophicalissues/ethics/valuesvirtues.html http://www.stedwards.edu/ursery/norm.htm Self Study/Assignments. 1) Think about the issue of beginning the teaching and development of virtue from Government and institutions or from individuals. Which, in your own opinion is a better approach? 2) What do you think of these two approaches of teaching and developing virtue in relations to a specific ethical issue that you are familiar with (for example the issue of how sexual ethics is handled in schools)? __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com