Abstract

This chapter shares the author’s experiences in thinking about the development of virtues, reflecting on observations from his career as a developmental researcher and clinician. As a newcomer to this topic, the author presents some perspectives that supplement the valuable contributions of others represented in this volume (e.g., in the chapters of Thompson, Narvaez, Carlo, and Snow). The chapter begins with the author’s entry points to thinking about the topic, followed by reflections generated from observations in infancy that include basic functions of moral development. This leads to considerations about resources for virtues in the developmental process that are provided by our evolutionary biology. The conclusion of the chapter reflects on pathways to virtues from infancy on, as well as challenges for research.