The VIA virtue model: Half-Baked or brilliant?
Robert E. McGrath
Abstract
I have been studying the VIA virtue modelfor a number of years, partly because it complements other recent literature on virtue in important ways, and partly because the model was founded in what I consider a brilliant intuition: that common attributes underlying the ‘natural categories’ of positive personality, for which the 24 VIA character strengths attempt to be a comprehensive listing, should point us to the more abstract culturally shared values of the well-lived life. The potential utility of this intuition for research on virtues as concepts relevant to person-within-culture has been underestimated. This intuition provides a framework for exploring at least one longstanding issue in discussions of virtue, which is the development of a practically useful and objectively defensible list of core virtues. For these reasons, I think the VIA virtue model deserves as much respect as Martin Seligman’s more celebrated contributions.