Keywords
virtue ethics
phronēsis
martial‑patriotic education
civic identity
How to Cite
Abstract
This article re‑examines contemporary martial‑patriotic education in Ukraine through the lens of Aristotle’s virtue ethics. Drawing on Nicomachean Ethics II–V, we argue that systematic training in courage (andreia) and practical wisdom (phronēsis) can foster a resilient civic identity capable of withstanding wartime disruption. After sketching the historical emergence of martial‑patriotic syllabi since 2014, we build an Aristotelian framework that treats virtue as a cultivated “second nature” acquired through habituated action and guided reflection. A qualitative content analysis of national curricula (2015–2024) and ten exemplar school programmes reveals that effective initiatives balance physical drill with deliberative exercises – debates, ethical simulations, community service – thereby uniting bodily disposition and rational choice. We show that programmes lacking the phronēsis component risk sliding into mere technocratic discipline, whereas those integrating judgment‑oriented practices promote students’ capacity to identify the “mean” between blind aggression and passive compliance. Finally, we propose design principles for educators: (1) embed iterative moral evaluation in training cycles; (2) link martial scenarios to civic responsibilities; (3) assess growth via dispositional rather than purely performance metrics. By restoring Aristotle’s holistic concept of virtue to martial‑patriotic education, the study offers a philosophically grounded strategy for strengthening democratic resilience in Ukraine’s secondary schools.
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