Phronesis and the Knowledge-Action Gap in Moral Psychology and Moral Education: A New Synthesis?

Darnell, C., Gulliford, L., Kristjánsson, K. and Paris, P. (2019) Phronesis and the Knowledge-Action Gap in Moral Psychology and Moral Education: A New Synthesis? Human Development. 62(3), pp. 101-129. 1423-0054.

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Darnell_etal_KARGER_2019_Phronesis_and_the_Knowledge_Action_Gap_in_Moral_Psychology_and_Moral_Education_A_New_Synthesis.pdf - Accepted Version

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Abstract:

This article has two aims. First, to offer a critical review of the literatures on two well-known single-component solutions to the problem of a gap between moral knowledge and moral action: moral identity and moral emotions. Second, to take seriously the rising interest in Aristotle-inspired virtue ethics and character development within the social sciences: approaches that seem to assume that the development of phronesis (practical wisdom) bridges the gap in question. Since phronesis is a multicomponent construct, the latter part of this article offers an overview of what those different components would be, as a necessary precursor to operationalising them if the phronesis hypothesis were to be subjected to empirical scrutiny. The idea of a neo-Aristotelian multicomponent solution to the “gappiness problem” invites comparisons with another multicomponent candidate, the neo-Kohlbergian four-component model, with which it shares at least surface similarities. Some space is thus devoted to the proposed theoretical uniqueness of a phronesis-based multicomponent model vis-à-vis the neo-Kohlbergian one. Our main conclusion is that – weaknesses in its developmental psychological grounding notwithstanding – operationalising the phronesis model for the purposes of instrument design and empirical inquiry would be a feasible and potentially productive enterprise.

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Gappiness problem, Moral emotions, Moral identity, Neo-Kohlbergian four-component model, Phronesis

Creators:

Darnell, C., Gulliford, L., Kristjánsson, K. and Paris, P.

Faculties, Divisions and Institutes:

Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Psychology
Research Centres > Centre for Psychology and Social Sciences

Date:

1 June 2019

Date Type:

Publication

Page Range:

pp. 101-129

Journal or Publication Title:

Human Development

Volume:

Number:

Number of Pages:

Language:

English

DOI:

10.1159/000496136

ISSN:

1423-0054

Status:

Published / Disseminated

Refereed:

Yes

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