The author discusses the importance that Socratic dialogue between instructors and students be used in the teaching of ethics to future soldiers. He looks how the Socratic method often clashes with the practice of military institutions as trainers of soldiers, and how in some cases efforts to train soldiers to be virtuous can lead to methods being used to introduce students to ethics that can discourage open discussion of ethics. The author suggests two strategies for achieving open discussions on ethics: giving philosophers a greater role in designing ethics curriculum and incorporating civilian academics into military institutions more effectively.
Notes
Miller, J. Joseph 1; Email Address: Joe.Miller@uncp.edu; Affiliation: 1: Department of Philosophy and Religion, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Box 1510, Pembroke, NC 28372-1510, USA; Source Info: Nov2004, Vol. 3 Issue 3, p199; Subject Term: MILITARY art & science; Subject Term: ARMED Forces; Subject Term: MILITARY ethics; Subject Term: PHILOSOPHY; Subject Term: HUMANITIES; Author-Supplied Keyword: Aristotle; Author-Supplied Keyword: Military Academy; Author-Supplied Keyword: pedagogy; Author-Supplied Keyword: professional ethic; Author-Supplied Keyword: virtue; Number of Pages: 17p; Document Type: Article