Martial Virtues: Lessons in Wisdom, Courage, and Compassion from the World's Greatest Warriors »

Charles Hackney, Ph.D. has been a student of the martial arts since 1995, with a background that includes Hapkido, Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and Fiore dei Liberi Armizare. He has a doctorate in psychology and is currently a psychology professor at Redeemer University College in Hamilton, Ontario.

Martial Virtues explores the place of the martial arts in the development of moral character. It focuses on the spiritual aspects of martial arts training, attempting to answer the question of what it means to be a good warrior.

In this groundbreaking analysis, Hackney draws from the psychological literature and from the lives and experiences of admirable warriors of fact and fiction. He analyzes how the virtues of ancient and modern warriors can be developed by practicing the martial arts. Using examples from the ancient Greeks to the samurai practitioners of Bushido, from Confucius all the way to Bruce Lee. Martial Virtues scrutinizes such qualities as courage, wisdom, justice and benevolence in turn, employing the lessons of modern psychology to understand how these virtues can be cultivated within ourselves and others.

Chapter 1 Martial Arts and the Character of the Warrior 9

Chapter 2 Virtue Ethics, Positive Psychology, and the Martial Arts 16

The Fall and Rise of Virtue Ethics 16

Alasdair Macintyre: Virtue Ethicist 21

Reviving Aristotle 21

Where Do the Martial Arts Fit Within Macintyre's Approach? 24

The Virtues in Positive Psychologyv26

Psychology and the Martial Arts 27

Chapter 3 Approaches to the Warrior Virtues 30

Western Warriors: Martial Virtues in Greece, Rome, Europe, and America 31

Heroic Virtues in Homer, Plato, and Virgil 31

Chivalry: Virtues of the Christian Knight 34

Fiore dei Liberi's Bestiary 39

North American Images of the Hero 40

Eastern Warriors: Virtues Within Asian Ethical Thought 42

Confucian Virtues 43

Buddhist Virtues 44

Taoism: Virtues of "the Way" 46

Warrior Virtues in Asian Martial Arts 47

China 47

Korea 50

Bushido in Japan 51

Ninjutsu in Japan 53

Cross-Cultural Warrior Virtues 55

Chapter 4 Courage 59

Defining Courage 61

Varieties of Courage 61

Courage in Interaction With Other Virtues 65

Cultivating Courage in Yourself 68

Early identification of fear 69

Suppression of fear 69

Distraction 70

Humanization of the enemy 70

Identification with a cause 70

Cultivating Courage in Others 76

Idealized influence 76

Inspirational motivation 76

Intellectual stimulation 76

Individualized consideration 77

Conclusion 79

Chapter 5 Justice 80

Defining Justice 81

Varieties of Justice 81

Justice to the Self: Honor and Integrity 90

Justice Beyond the Self: Piety and Loyalty 94

Justice in Interaction With Other Virtues 102

Cultivating Justice in Yourself 103

CultivatingJustice in Others 107

Conclusion 109

Chapter 6 Temperance 110

Defining Temperance 112

Varieties of Temperance 113

Humility 113

Self-Control 116

Temperance in Interaction With Other Virtues 119

Cultivating Temperance in Yourself 120

Fostering Temperance in Others 131

Chapter 7 Wisdom 135

Definitions and Varieties of Wisdom 136

Wisdom in Interaction With Other Virtues 147

Cultivating Wisdom in Yourself 149

Cultivating Wisdom in Others 152

Chapter 8 Benevolence 161

Defining Benevolence 162

Varieties of Benevolence 170

Mercy 170

Compassion 172

Benevolence in Interaction With Other Virtues 173

Cultivating Benevolence in Yourself 177

Cultivating Benevolence in Others 182

Conclusion 183

Chapter 9 Courtesy (Not a Virtue, but Still Vital) 184

Chapter 10 Tying It All Together: What's Your Story? 194

References 201

Index 219