theory in pragmatism far enough what is moral?

Once acknowledging the worth of character education,

although without appeal to moral imperatives or divine injunctions assumed by other philosophies
pragmatism mikes its realization depend on experience itself. Well by living well, and * We learn to live we
learn to live ethically by living ethically. What is ethical in any final or ultimate sense is impossible to
determine- And to relive ancient issues where debate rages over the essential meaning of virtue is largely
a waste of time. What, then, is moral behavior and what is ethical character? This, pragmatism responds,
is up to the public test. And the most dependable public test is always what works most effectively.

In the absence of any ethical standard other than socially effective conduct, of course the definition of
character may change from time to time and from place to place. Because conceptions of morality are
subject to the forces of social evolution, any statement about value and character illustrating morality
must be relative. What must be learned, not only in the custody of a good school but in all of society as
well, is that acting ethically is doing what the situation requires. We must, to follow this line of thought, be
schooled to appraise the circumstances in which we find ourselves and where action is demanded, and
then do what is most satisfactory, or, to put it differently, what works best. The only safeguard to ensure
promote ethical behavior is social approval. So, although pragmatism refuses to admit the existence or a
standard for conduct based on a natural law and has no time whatever for religion's role in establishing a
moral code, it is nevertheless careful to make social awareness and benefit part or its ethical repertoire.
The final certification for good character and the justification for education working toward it on all levels,
both formal and informal, is that it pays huge personal and social dividends.

Existentialism and Character Education

Existentialism and Character Education makes us responsible for our behavior, so implication is clear. We
must do our best to act ethically. We should never surprise to hear existentialists praising good character.
Yet, apart from developing a sense, of freedom and responsibility and developing it according to personal

P21 of education's responsibility for characta formation is Eccounttu IL/1 iis instilling discipline, or cicating cdor:ational
climate whcre it may developed, in conncction with the exercise of free choice. Whitt is choscn is not at stake bac;
schools arc not delcgaid to tell students what to choose- The P°int is, nth er, that whcn faced with the need to make
choices, persons Iva have the courage, the social .tamina, and the personal vigor to do so. Secn in this light, the
school is a place where ethical method—the way to chocise and the habit of choosing—is encouraged and &Aldo*,
tnd where ample time is allowed for practict in m i making choice. Thist'wc think, is how exiStentialism interprets the
role of educa-tion in the formation of desirable human character." •
Analytic Philosophy and Chtracter Education
Analytic philosophy is unprepared to make any independent assertions relative to the place of cLaractcr in education
or schooling, although it would be hard to believe that this philosophy of education is less interested in ethical
behavior and desirabk social ccf:Jduct than any other. Its philosophical purpose, bowever, is not to formulate
propositions with respect to anything in education; rather, it is to examine and analyze extant educational statements
and discern their meaning. In this enigmatic Leld of charactcr education, analytic philosophy, we Should think, will
have Plenty to do.

the nutd—to clercis cboim Tbe standard for In °rid choic,.c, or ihoL.-c convic6ons with -which dcisions
must IS purely person-id. Any moral stz.ndadrci may bs.. Ldopttcl, aithough fpC'7I1C St2.ndesd is
irriperative. From this point on e.xistentialism regards the person being P°tcntiallY auionomous. In this
context autonomy is the person41 ability to make citcisions and to control one's own destiny. The ultimate
dcurmincr or vaiuc, the funda-mental principle superintcnding it, is always &cif-actualizatioiL. The
cxistcatialist would say: I should do ELlways and consisttntly what I judge best for the full lization of my
personal capacity . To this end, school practice should SUH)tly encourage the ucrcise office choke. And
this is best done, existultialists think, not by idealizing the worth or frec choice in an antiscptic way but by
cncouraging students in the dcvclopmcnt or compdence in free choice at every turn of the educational
road and by urging students to assume the responsibility they have to themselves to make choices, this
must be done in an atmosphere.a freedom, for'. ch aracter eAucition,- existentialists declare, is not moral.
trainini, gemditiorting, or znakirs1 studtnts submit to thc disciplinepfauthoFity. In the p7acae orthoite
everyone is required to grapple with an urgent, pc4.ennial issue. Existential txpectation is that this issue is
capable of resolution personal lire. This is the issue: liciv can seit-interett be accommodateti to the
gencral wtrarc7 .