Families of Virtue

Families of Virtue reads a range of thinkers and scientists, from ancient Greek and Chinese philosophers to contemporary feminist ethicists and attachment theorists, to articulate the critical role of the parent-child relationship in the moral development of infants and children. Arguing that philosophy can support our best empirical findings to shape effective policy, this book seeks to strengthen families, help raise happier children, and successfully address current moral problems. Early Confucian philosophers argue that the general ethical sensibilities we develop during infancy and early childhood form the basis for nearly every virtue and that the parent-child relationship is the primary context within which this growth occurs. Joining these views with scientific work on early childhood, the text shows how an extensive body of research in Western psychology can bolster and renew the theoretical underpinnings of Confucian thought. Confucian philosophers can therefore help promote positive social and political change in our time, particularly in such surprising areas as paid parental leave, breastfeeding initiatives, marriage counseling, and family therapy.