Journal of Moral Education 9 (2):81-87 (1980)
|Abstract||Abstract Some recent theorists have relegated the
emotions to a rather negligible role in moral education. This
article is designed to show why the emotions should have a more
central place and what this role should be. The characteristics
and functions of the emotions are briefly outlined. Those
emotions involved in moral judgement and action are of two
types: constitutive and regulative. In terms of the former,
three ways are presented which show how a person has grasped a
moral concept. Whereas constitutive emotions not only regulate
but may help rectify wrong action, regulative emotions are less
reliable because they can prevent as well as promote moral
action. Fear and guilt are used as paradigms to explain how
emotions are learned. Three character traits are chosen ??
conscientiousness, compassion, and benevolence ?? and the
associated emotions and supporting principles are shown.
Outlined is a three?tier development based on these traits along
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