Beyond the cognitive and the virtue approaches to moral

Abstract

This study is an attempt to examine the possibility of an account of morality and moral psychology that can be accepted from an integrated perspective within the context of moral education. Recently, attempts have been made to integrate two typical approaches to moral education — the cognitive and the virtue approaches. Before this can be done, however, a preliminary exploration to examine whether there is any theoretical foundation for attempting such an integrated approach would appear necessary. An integrated approach to moral education means to teach both virtues and forms and to cultivate both knowledge and behavior. This study analyzes what kinds of moral judgments a human being as a rational agent makes and what are the motivations for ethical action. It then attempts to demonstrate two things: moral values which a rational human being recognizes aim for universality and simultaneously reflect diverse situations; and his or her motivation is activated through all of habit, emotion, and understanding.