1
of
1
Improving Character
Moral Virtues, Strategies, and Questions
Brief Description
Develop moral virtues through forty-five accessible and practical essays Character development requires both understanding what moral virtues look like and how to cultivate them. Improving Character: Moral Virtues, Strategies, and Questions assembles forty-five newly commissioned essays that are concise, engaging, and largely jargon-free to make virtues...
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK
Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock
Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Improving Character. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.
Latest News
The Play to Screen Report - 15/10/2026
Sacha has rounded up all the latest news from the world of toys, games, movies...
Marnie shares her tips for Spring!
Marnie is our garden expert and Lizzy kills every plant she brings home. We're getting...
My Favourite Thing About Bookish Puzzles
There's something special about seeing your favourite fictional worlds brought to life through beautiful artwork....
The Cultural Renaissance of Reading
There's something rather wonderful happening in the world of books at the moment. Reading is...
Story to Screen - 15/10/2026
It's been another big week in the world of book-to-screen adaptations! From exciting casting announcements...
See more
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Develop moral virtues through forty-five accessible and practical essays
Character development requires both understanding what moral virtues look like and how to cultivate them. Improving Character: Moral Virtues, Strategies, and Questions assembles forty-five newly commissioned essays that are concise, engaging, and largely jargon-free to make virtues and character cultivation immediately accessible without sacrificing philosophical depth or rigour.
The volume begins with chapters on the need for character improvement and why moral virtue is good for us. Next, it covers sixteen moral virtues including courage, patience, temperance, honesty, humility, gratitude, generosity, and justice. It then presents sixteen practical strategies for character development such as friendship, role models, nudging, good manners, disrupting social norms, running, and journaling. Ten essays address challenging questions about the whole enterprise. It closes with Charles Dickensβs A Christmas Carol as a cautionary tale.
Readers will also find:
- Portraits of virtues drawn from Western philosophy alongside ancient Chinese and Buddhist traditions for broader cross-cultural perspectives on character
- Practical strategies that move beyond theory to actionable guidance on developing specific virtues through everyday activities and relationships
- Critical questions examining how we measure character improvement and determine which traits genuinely are moral virtues
- Essays designed specifically for undergraduate students and general readers seeking philosophical substance without intimidating technical vocabulary
- An unusual blend of theoretical foundations and practical application rarely found together in philosophy texts
Written for first-year undergraduates and general readers interested in personal development, Improving Character serves students taking courses in virtue ethics, practical ethics, ethical leadership, and professional ethics programmes. Its trade-style orientation makes it equally valuable for character development in athletics, high schools, and personal goal setting.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781394297078
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 27 May 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: John Wiley & Sons Inc
Contributors:
- Edited by Robert J. Hartman
Audience: Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 31.0mm
Width: 178.0mm
Height: 252.0mm
Weight: 748g
Pages: 448
Collections
About the Author
Robert J. Hartman is an Associate Professor of Philosophy (effective fall 2026) at Ohio Northern University. He previously held research fellowships at Tulane University, Stockholm University, and the University of Gothenburg. He is the author of In Defense of Moral Luck and co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy and Psychology of Luck. His articles appear in the Australasian Journal of Philosophy, Philosophical Studies, European Journal of Philosophy, and the Journal of the American Philosophical Association.
More from Philosophy & Psychology
View all-
Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a transformative guide that demonstrates how tiny, incremental changes in behaviour can fundamentally reshape your life. Rather than urging sweeping transformations, Clear advocates for the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions. Whether itβs performing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes earlier, or making a brief, focused phone call, these minuscule adjustments,...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseHow Lucky Am I
The first full book featuring social media sensation Mr. Skelly, with over 5 million global followers, a skeleton who teaches us that life is a gift to be treasured, reminding us how lucky we all are to live in this present moment. For readers of The Book of Gifts and The Little Frogβs Guide to Self Care. In this poignant,...Hardback$4299Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Creative Act
Many famed music producers are known for a particular sound that has its day and then ages out. Rick Rubin is known for something else: creating a space where artists of all different genres and traditions can home in on who they really are and what they really offer. He has made a practice of helping people transcend their self-imposed...Hardback$4400Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Winner's Formula
The Neuroscience of Peak Performance, Success, and Happiness Why do some people win all the time? Why do others languish? From Olympians to Formula 1 drivers, addicts to billionaires, cognitive neuroscientist Dr Kerry Spackman has spent decades working to help people understand how to succeed. In The Winner's Formula, Kerry explains what goes on in your brain when you are...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Strangers
The must-read memoir of the end of a marriage and the start of a personal revolution, based on the iconic Modern Love essay in the New York Times and perfect for fans of Glennon Doyle. "A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship" β Joyce Carol Oates How do we go on when a loved one betrays us?...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Aroha
Aroha by Dr Hinemoa Elder is an enlightening exploration of timeless Maori wisdom, intricately woven into a contemporary context. This top-selling non-fiction title from New Zealand in 2021 introduces readers to 52 traditional Maori proverbs, known as whakataukΔ«, each offering a profound lesson for every week of the year. Dr Elder, a respected Maori psychiatrist, delves into these powerful sayings...Hardback$2400Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four
In the drab and oppressive world of 1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell introduces us to Winston Smith, a man haunted by the omnipresent surveillance and control exercised by the Party and its enigmatic leader, Big Brother. Winston works diligently at the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter historical records to fit the ever-changing narrative dictated by the...Paperback$1299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Lessons on Living
Bestselling author Nigel Latta's simple psychological toolkit for life's ups and downs. Over thirty years working as a clinical psychologist, Nigel Latta assembled a personal toolkit based on three simple principles. These principles helped him to be more resilient, joyful, and attuned to what matters most. The same principles have helped him through some difficult times as well, such as...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Eat Your Ice Cream
The New York Times bestseller that presents a bold new vision for living well and ageing with purpose from a world-renowned health expert THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From a leading doctor and world-renowned health expert, the simple, uplifting and practical guide to cutting through the wellness noise, living well and ageing with purpose. βEssential reading for anyone who...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseMauritau
A journal to find balance with the 12 states of Mauri. Mauri is the pulse of wellbeing - the spark that makes you uniquely you. In Mauritau, clinical psychologist Jessica Gerbic introduces the 12 states of Mauri and shows how intentional awareness can guide your sense of balance across mind, body, spirit, environment and whΔnau. From Mauri Oho, a sudden...Hardback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New Release
Better Never Stops
The Art and Science of Continuous Improvement From delinquent to doctor, Paul Wood knows first-hand how far we can take our lives if we address what holds us back. At the age of 18, Wood was sent to New Zealand's toughest prison. Almost 11 years later, in 2006, he walked out a free man, escaping his past and becoming a...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Courage to be Disliked
The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga presents an enlightening and thought-provoking dialogue between a philosopher and a young man disillusioned with life. In a series of conversations, the philosopher introduces the principles of Alfred Adler's psychology, advocating for personal empowerment and mental freedom. Through this engaging dialogue, the young man learns to confront the societal...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
