Practical Wisdom: Aristotle meets Positive Psychology

The strengths and virtues identified by positive psychology are treated as logically independent, and it is recommended that people identify their “signature” strengths and cultivate them, because more of a strength is better [Peterson and Seligman: 2004, Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification (Oxford University Press, New York); Seligman: 2002, Authentic Happiness (Free Press, New York)]. The present paper contrasts that view with the Aristotelian view that virtues are interdependent, that happiness (eudaimonia) requires all the virtues, and that more of a virtue is not always better than less. We argue that practical wisdom is the master virtue essential to solving problems of specificity, relevance, and conflict that inevitably arise whenever character strengths must be translated into action in concrete situations. We also argue that practical wisdom is becoming increasingly difficult to nurture and display in modern society, so that attention must be paid to reshaping social institutions to encourage the use of practical wisdom rather than inhibiting it.     

Agent-based Theories of Right Action

In this paper, I develop an objection to agent-based accounts of right action. Agent-based accounts of right action attempt to derive moral judgment of actions from judgment of the inner quality of virtuous agents and virtuous agency. A moral theory ought to be something that moral agents can permissibly use in moral deliberation. I argue for a principle that captures this intuition and show that, for a broad range of other-directed virtues and motives, agent-based accounts of right action fail to satisfy this principle.     

Between Virtues and Blessings: A Discussion on Zhang Jiucheng’s Thoughts

As an important thinker in the early South Song dynasty, Zhang Jiucheng differed in his thinking from the School of Principles of the Song and Ming dynasties, which was the mainstream at that time, and was thus excluded by Zhu Xi and his followers. The relation between virtues and blessings was a characteristic part of Zhang’s thought. By analyzing concepts like Heavenly mandates, virtues, blessings, luckiness and unluckiness in Zhang’s thought, this essay re-defines the complicated but manifest relations between virtues and blessings; clarifies the trajectory of Zhang’s thoughts on Heavenly mandates, virtues, and blessings; and displays the efforts of the Neo-Confucians of the Song dynasties to stress the value of human nature in the tension between Heavenly mandates and virtues.     

Affective States and Epistemic Immediacy

This article defends the view that an adequate response to some central epistemological problems requires us to find a role for emotions and other affective states in epistemic evaluation and also to invoke virtuous traits of character in order to explain how these affective evaluations are regulated. The argument is based on the need for some epistemic evaluations to possess a kind of immediacy, if we are not to face a worrying regress. The closing sections support the claim that epistemic evaluation depends upon appropriate character traits though a discussion of what is involved in being observant .     

Work and Family Balance Among Dual-Earner Working-Class Mexican-Americans: Implications for Therapists

The ability to balance work and family demands can affect marital satisfaction, family cohesion, and job satisfaction. While most research in this area has utilized middle-class Anglo-American samples, the present investigation examined dual-earner, working-class Mexican- Americans. Positive relationships were found between work-family balance and satisfaction with marriage, family life and jobs with gender and acculturation showing moderating effects on some variables. Family therapists should be cognizant of the impact of work- family demands on marriage and family functioning even when working class minority families do not offer these issues as presenting problems.     

卦主说刍议

卦主说是易学发展中一个比较重要的解易体例,其通过对《周易》经传的解构所蕴含的易学思想也是历代易学家研究的一个重要课题。卦主说发端于《易传》。后经西汉京房、魏王弼、清李光地等的阐述及运用,卦主说发展到相当完备的程度。虽然历代易学家所站的角度不同,认定卦主的标准也不尽一致,但他们之间毕竟存在着一定的承传关系。通过卦主说,他们阐明了一定的易学思想,也反映了当时的社会状况。     

The Relationship Between Therapist Characteristics and Decreased Medical Utilization: An Exploratory Study

This was an exploratory study examining the relationship between the therapist characteristics of age, experience, gender, and profession and the medical utilization of clients. Marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and psychologists participated in the study along with 197 clients as identified by archival research methods. The results of logistic regression analysis suggested that psychotherapy in general, rather than professional training or therapist characteristics is responsible for reductions in healthcare utilization.     

麦金太尔论给予和接受的德性

在人类共同的社会实践中 ,我们总是处在一种给予和接受的关系之中 ,因此 ,也就需要一种给予和接受的德性。亚里士多德和阿奎那考察了这类德性。包容着具体的公正慷慨的接受和给予的德性实践是我们自己共同体的基本实践 ,对于共同体的共同生活起了它所起的作用。     

Relationships Between Sex-Role Attitudes, Division of Household Tasks, and Marital Adjustment

Relationships between sex-role attitudes, household tasks, and marital adjustment were explored. Eighty-five married couples completed the Osmond-Martin Sex Role Attitude Scale (Osmond & Martin, 1975), the Krausz Household Task scale (Krausz, 1986) and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976). Modern husbands reported greater marital adjustment than traditional husbands. Traditional spouses reported more traditionally male household tasks being completed by husbands and traditionally female tasks being completed by wives. Spouses reported greater marital adjustment when husbands completed male tasks. Sex-role attitudes and household tasks related independently to marital adjustment. The results support assessing husbands and wives separately. Clinicians are advised to assess couples' sex-role attitudes while maintaining neutral attitudes themselves. Several clinical techniques are offered.