The Introduction of a Proposed Pathway for Study and Research in the Field of Ethical Traits and its Educational Applications

As a set of vices and virtues, the view of traits is among the oldest and most influential ethical views in the Muslim world, and most of the moral writings of Muslims, including the past and the contemporary writers, have dealt with ethics from this perspective. Now, if we consider the above view as the theoretical framework for doing ethical studies, the purpose of this study is to introduce and present a pathway for scientific studies and research in the field of ethical traits. With this aim in mind, the main question of the present research is: What steps are necessary for study and research in the field of ethical traits? The results indicate that six general steps can be considered for the study of ethical traits. These steps include: conceptualizing ethical traits, identifying the roots of ethical traits, the implications of ethical traits, preventive strategies of moral vices, and therapeutic approaches and ways of developing moral virtues. These six steps require the use of a variety of research methods including the traditional Islamic method (principles of jurisprudence), new quantitative and qualitative scientific methods, as well as philosophical research method, especially the conceptual analysis approach. This proposed path can help to develop research in the field of moral education.