What is Character?

The following is quoted from Thomas Lickona's work, Educating for Character. p. 50.

The Greek Philosopher Aristotle defined good character as the life of right conduct – right conduct in relation to other persons and in relation to oneself.  Aristotle reminds us of what in modern times, we are prone to forget:  The virtuous life includes self-oriented virtues (such as self-control and moderation) as well as other-oriented virtues (such as generosity and compassion), and the two kinds of virtue are connected.  We need to be in control of ourselves – our appetites, our passions – to do right by others.

Character, observes contemporary philosopher Michael Novak, is "a compatible mix of all those virtues identified by religious traditions, literary stories, the sages, and persons of common sense down through history."  No one, as Novak points out, has all the virtues, and everyone has some weaknesses.  Persons of much-admired character may differ considerable from one another.

(Lickona, T. (1993). Educating for character.  Bantam Books, p. 50. 

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