Professor Christian Miller discusses the concept of the character gap, highlighting how people are a mix of virtuous and vicious traits. He explores the influence of context on behavior, practices to strengthen moral character, and the impact of world religions on moral development. The podcast challenges the idea of labeling individuals as purely good or bad.
Individuals are not entirely virtuous or vicious but a mixture of virtues and vices, emphasizing the complexity of human character assessment.
Human behavior is influenced by social contexts and empathy, showcasing the impact of situational factors on virtuous actions.
Strategies like seeking exemplars, understanding internal obstacles, and promoting empathy aid in bridging the character gap and nurturing virtuous behavior.
Deep dives
Human Character Spectrum and Virtue vs. Vice
Rhetoric revolves around the spectrum of human character. Philosophers argue that individuals are a mix of virtues and vices, rather than entirely virtuous or vicious. The concept of good character is dissected into virtues like honesty, bravery, and generosity, emphasizing the importance of virtuous behavior and motivation. Examples range from historical figures like Abraham Lincoln to fictional characters, offering a nuanced perspective on character assessment.
Psychological Insights on Human Behavior
Psychological studies reveal complex insights into human behavior. Experiments like the bystander effect showcase how social situations impact altruism, illustrating that individuals might not always act virtuously when in groups. Empathy plays a critical role in determining helping behavior, exemplified by studies where adopting an empathetic perspective significantly increases willingness to assist others selflessly.
Empathy and Altruism in Real-life Situations
Instances in real-life scenarios echo psychological findings. Examples of individuals failing to help in emergency situations or showing indifference highlight the complexities of human character. However, instances of altruism, driven by empathy and selfless motives, underscore the inherent capacity of individuals to engage in virtuous behavior and aid others in need.
The Milgram Experiment and Human Behavior
In the discussion, the Milgram experiment is highlighted, showcasing how individuals in authority-led situations were willing to harm others under pressure. Despite inflicting distress, participants displayed signs of internal conflict and hesitation, emphasizing their struggle with morally challenging circumstances. Variations in the experiment revealed that without an authority figure, individuals showed less inclination to harm others, suggesting situational context significantly impacts behavior and moral decision-making.
Bridging the Character Gap and Virtue Development
The conversation delves into bridging the character gap to nurture virtuous behavior. Strategies such as seeking exemplars and understanding internal obstacles are proposed to enhance character development. Additionally, exploring religious perspectives underscores the role of community support and belief in character malleability. Emphasizing empathy and grace towards others' actions is highlighted to avoid hasty character judgments, promoting humility and cautious evaluation in perceiving individual behavior.
Are people mostly good or mostly bad? We're apt to think of ourselves as good people, while thinking of the general population as not-so-stellar. My guest today argues that most people, including yourself, are really best described as a mixed bag.
His name is Christian Miller, he’s a professor of moral philosophy and religion at Wake Forest University, and today on the show we discuss his new book The Character Gap: How Good Are We? We begin our conversation discussing how Christian defines the extreme ends of the character spectrum and why very few people can be described as entirely virtuous or vicious. Christian then points to psychological studies that highlight both bad news and good news as to whether humans tend to have praiseworthy or blameworthy character, and which suggest that whether we behave virtuously or viciously often depends on the context we find ourselves in. We then discuss how to close the gap between how we should act and how we do act, including practices that strengthen our ability and desire to do the right thing. We end our conversation discussing how all world religions provide structure to moral development and why we should be slow to call ourselves and others good or bad people.
