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More News »April 19, 2018
February 26, 2018
Colloquium: “How do Moral Beacons Foster Community?” April 17th and 18th, 2018
February 14, 2018
Dr. Miller in the Wall Street Journal
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Executive Summary
We believe that a full understanding of morality and virtue can be achieved only by examining the morally excellent, for example, those who risked their lives saving others during the Holocaust (Monroe, 2006), or members of the Amish community who demonstrated forgiveness following the slaughter of 10 Amish schoolgirls in 2006 (Dreher, 2006). Just as much attention has been paid to how geniuses and high-performing businesses function and thrive, the morally exceptional represent a form of “genius” that deserves such attention.
Audience
- Researchers and scholars in three disciplines.
- The Wake Forest interdisciplinary and student communities.
- Individuals wishing to cultivate their own morality.
- Parents and educators wishing to cultivate children’s morality.
Four Hypotheses
- There are individual differences in moral character, and some people are morally exceptional.
- Morally exceptional people can be conceptually and empirically identified.
- The study of the morally exceptional can answer big questions and facilitate new discoveries about moral functioning.
- The morally exceptional provide unique insights into how to improve moral character.
Three Aims
- Jumpstart a field of study on the morally exceptional similar to the study of exceptional cognitive talent.
- Integrate philosophical, theological, and psychological expertise to characterize the morally exceptional.
- Answer big questions about the morally exceptional.
About Our Team
Meet the Team »-
Project Director
Dr. William Fleeson
Professor of Psychology -
Project Leader
Dr. Christian B. Miller
A.C. Reid Professor of Philosophy -
Project Leader
Dr. R. Michael Furr
Professor of Psychology -
Project Leader
Dr. Angela Knobel
Associate Professor of Philosophy -
Investigator
Dr. Eranda Jayawickreme
Assistant Professor of Psychology