Abstract
Moral capital is the set of shared norms and values in a society. The question of this chapter is what is the role of moral capital in the smooth running of society but particularly in times of crisis? Even before pandemic of 2020–2021 and racial reckoning in America, we found ourselves in a place where social norms are flaunted by our leaders, by television and radio personalities, on social media, and generally deteriorating throughout the society. This paper explores the notion of moral capital, what it is and the role it plays in flourishing societies. And finally, I will argue for the important role that higher education plays in supporting moral capital mostly through cultivating the virtues of civility, civic grace, and the epistemic virtues.
This work on moral capital was generously supported by a grant from the National Institute on Civil Discourse.
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Notes
- 1.
Looking at Adam Smith's work in totality, The Wealth of Nations and The Theory of the Moral Sentiments it is clear that Smith thought that both what he called sympathy (the basis for him of public morality) and self-interest work together for a well-functioning society.
- 2.
https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/PublicGoods.html; see Civility in Politics and Education ed by Deborah Mower and Wade Robison where they discuss this idea.
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McGregor, J. (2022). Moral Capital, Civic Grace, and the Role of Education. In: McGregor, J., Navin, M.C. (eds) Education, Inclusion, and Justice. AMINTAPHIL: The Philosophical Foundations of Law and Justice, vol 11. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04013-9_12
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