Is Moral Education a Craft?

Abstract

This chapter explores the notion of moral education or ethical upbringing. What sort of activity is moral education, and what sort of knowledge do you need to perform this activity well? Is moral education a poietic craft, comparable to house building or pottery making? To be a good parent, do you need something more than practical wisdom and moral virtue—e.g., special “parenting skills”? How does the notion of responsibility figure into our conception of moral education? I pursue these and related questions by engaging with the work of Anselm Müller. My starting point is Müller’s insightful essay “Teaching Virtue.” Building upon Müller's critique of the view he labels “intentionalism” about moral education, I explore similarities and differences between moral education and standard cases of poietic activity. I argue that a special feature of moral education is the directed duty that defines the task of parenting: good upbringing is something that upbringers owe to the children for whom they are responsible. I conclude with some brief reflections on moral character, accountability, and responsibility for oneself.