Witnessing character: a feminist-Humean approach to virtue pedagogy

Purpose Contemporary character education often assumes teachers must possess definitional expertise about virtue and exemplify the virtues. This can leave educators hesitant to engage in character formation, particularly when reflecting on how social norms like gender affect students' differential treatment in society. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on feminist critiques by Sarah Ahmed and Kathryn Pauly Morgan, David Hume's account of the “moral nose” and David Hansen's framework of the witness-educator, this article argues for an alternative approach rooted in feeling and social ontology rather than abstract definitions. Findings I contend that character is both constructed through individual experience and constrained by social norms. By positioning educators and students as moral witnesses who cultivate refined moral sensibilities through attention, this approach dissolves the expertise problem and reframes questions of agency. Originality/value The article offers a less heroic and more grounded pedagogy for character education in nonideal societies – one requiring presence and attention rather than philosophical expertise or perfected virtue.