From Virtue to Flourishing: Mapping the Self and Social Pathways of Hospitality

Drawing on classical virtue ethics and positive psychology, this paper explores how the enactment of hospitality—through empathy, execution, and embrace—contributes to human flourishing. Central to this process is phronesis , or practical wisdom, which mediates the relationship between hospitality and flourishing. The research proposes two complementary pathways: a self-oriented path fostering contentment and self-connectedness, and an other-oriented path promoting prosocial behavior and civic engagement. By linking hospitality virtue to flourishing via phronesis , this study advances a holistic, ethically grounded framework for understanding hospitality's transformative potential.