Families of Virtue: Confucian and Western Views on Childhood Development
Erin Cline
Abstract
This book sets out the critical role of the parent–child relationship in the moral development of infants and children. It builds on the work of thinkers and scientists—from ancient Greek and Chinese philosophers to contemporary feminist ethicists and attachment theorists—and sets out an effective approach for strengthening families and the character of children. It shows how early Confucian philosophers argued that the general ethical sensibilities we develop during infancy and early childhood form the basis for nearly every virtue and that the parent–child relationship is the primary context ... More
This book sets out the critical role of the parent–child relationship in the moral development of infants and children. It builds on the work of thinkers and scientists—from ancient Greek and Chinese philosophers to contemporary feminist ethicists and attachment theorists—and sets out an effective approach for strengthening families and the character of children. It shows how early Confucian philosophers argued that the general ethical sensibilities we develop during infancy and early childhood form the basis for nearly every virtue and that the parent–child relationship is the primary context within which this growth occurs. Joining these views with scientific works on early childhood, the book shows how Western psychology can reinforce and renew the theoretical underpinnings of Confucian thought. It also shows how Confucian philosophers can affect positive social and political change in our time, particularly in areas such as paid parental leave, breastfeeding initiatives, marriage counselling and family therapy.
Keywords:
parent–child relationship,
moral development,
Confucian philosophers,
Western psychology,
parental leave,
breastfeeding initiatives,
marriage counselling,
family therapy
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2015 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780231171557 |
| Published to Columbia Scholarship Online: November 2015 |
DOI:10.7312/columbia/9780231171557.001.0001 |
