Virtues of Limits

Human beings seek to transcend limits

This is part of our potential greatness, since it is how we can realize what is best in our humanity. However, the limit-transcending feature of human life is also part of our potential downfall, as it can lead to dehumanization and failure to attain important human goods and to prevent human evils.

Exploring the place of limits within a well-lived human life

This work develops and defends an original account of limiting virtues, which are concerned with recognizing proper limits in human life. The limiting virtues that are the focus are humility, reverence, moderation, contentment, neighborliness, and loyalty, and they are explored in relation to four kinds of limits: existential limits; moral limits; political limits; and economic limits.

Discussion of limiting virtues in virtue ethics

These virtues have been underexplored in discussions about virtue ethics, and when they have been explored it has not been with regard to the general issue of the place of limits within a well-lived human life.

Counter to other approaches to ethics

The account of the limiting virtues provided here is intended as a counter to other prominent approaches to ethics: namely, autonomy-centered approaches and consequentialist (or maximizing) approaches.

Application to contemporary issues

This account is also used to address a number of important contemporary issues such as genetic engineering, cosmopolitanism vs. patriotism, distributive justice, and the ethical status of growth-based economics.