Virtues and StrengthsBy: Allie Kleinman, Lauren Schrager, Danny Guise, Kendall Fishlein

What are virtues?Common misconception: a virtue is socially defined

After reading works by: Aristotle, Plato, Aquinas, Augustine, Confucius, Buddha, Lao-Tze, Benjamin Franklin, and the Upanishads, as well as the Old Testament, Talmud, the Bushido(the samurai code), the Koran concluded: 6 universal virtues were discovered in “almost every single of these traditions

flung across three thousand years and the entire face of the earth” (133)Wisdom and knowledgeCourageLove and humanityJusticeTemperance Spirituality and transcendence

What are virtues?These common virtues are “endorsed by almost all religious and

philosophical traditions, and taken together they capture the notion of good character” (133)

Social context The details of what exactly these traits mean in each culture varies

Ex. Courage may mean something different to Aristotle than it does to a samurai

Therefore: virtues are what creates someone’s good character – relative to their society and what the details of each virtue are Virtues = aspects of a universally defined good character that serve as goals

to achieve

Strengths = how we achieve the virtues

What are strengths?Examples: Integrity, valor, originality, and kindness

Moral traits and

More buildable than talents

With time, determination, and effort, strengths can be acquired by an ordinary person

Voluntary: Choice about when to use it/keep building it

Highest Personal Strengths24 strengths that lead to 6 virtues…

Wisdom and Knowledge

Courage

Humanity and Love

Justice

Temperance

Transcendence

Strengths vs. TalentsTalents:

Not as buildable (God-given) Relatively automatic Have no choice whether you possess them or not Cannot be acquired Nonmoral…can be good or bad Talents chose you, you didn’t choose them

Both are topics of positive psychology

Both can help others receive or build authentic happiness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BReZ7PLUQHM

Importance of StrengthsThey provide “distinct routes” to each of the six virtues

They are “buildable” qualities

“Engaging in a strength usually produces positive emotion”

“The display of strength by one person does not diminish other people in the vicinity. Indeed, onlookers are often elevated and inspired by observing virtuous action.”

We need to utilize our strengths on a regular basis if we intend to lead the “good life”

The ValueBy identifying virtues you can work towards developing a good

character

Being able to identify strengths and talents early on can help you pick a path for success

Quiz1. What is the biggest difference between a strength and a trait?

2. What is the difference between a virtue and a strength?

3. What would you say your strengths are?

4. What would you saw are some virtues that you possess?