何謂德行倫理學？簡單的說，它是一套倫理學的理論，主張我們應依照有德行的方式來生活並行動，它特別重視品德或德行的中心概念，而比較輕忽義務的概念。西方道德哲學的研究與發展，在1980年以後，逐漸由義務論與效益論兩大倫理學體系回歸到亞理斯多德傳統的德行論倫理學。 本文主要的目的在闡明德行倫理學重新興起的原因，以及它對當代道德教育的影響。首先將說明以義務論與效益論為代表的現代倫理學理論所面臨的幾種困境，導致了學者從德行倫理學的理論中尋求解答。其次探討何謂德行倫理學，它的特徵，以及當代哲學家對此一名詞的理解與用法。接著將對近年來德行倫理學的發展作一概略而宏觀的審視；最後將說明德行倫理學的發展如何進一步影響當代道德教育的理論依據與實踐。
What is Virtue Ethics? Simply speaking, it is a moral theory advocating that we act and live in a virtuous way, it focuses the concept of virtue or character, rather than the concept of duty. Since 1980s, the study and development of Western moral philosophy has diverted its direction from the moral systems of Utilitarianism and Deontology back to the Virtue Ethics of Aristotelian tradition. The chief purpose of this paper is to point out the trend of the revival of Virtue Ethics, and to elucidate the reasons for this and its effect to the contemporary moral education. We shall try, in the first place, to explain some difficulties which modern ethical theories including deontology and tilitarianism are facing. We shall then investigate what is Virtue Ethics and its characteristics as perceived and understood by contemporary moral philosophers. Next, we shall give a general and comprehensive sketch of the development of Virtue Ethics in recent years. In conclusion, we shall explain in detail how the growth of recent Virtue Ethics gives an impetus to the theory and practice of contemporary moral education.
