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Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

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A large crowd attending a presidential inauguration ceremony with a stage in the center.

A large crowd attending a presidential inauguration ceremony with a stage in the center.

Biden’s Inaugural Speech was Grounded in the Ethics of Virtue and the Common Good

John Pelissero, senior scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics published in the San Francisco Chronicle.

"Another ethical theme in the inaugural address was about virtue. He spoke of the important virtues that define us as Americans: “liberty, dignity, respect, honor and yes, the truth.” Moreover, his words demonstrated his fundamental compassion and empathy for other human beings and asked all to “show a little tolerance and humility.” And as the leader of the free world, he reminded Americans that we must “lead, not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.”

John Pelissero, senior scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics published in the San Francisco Chronicle.

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Tasos Katopodis/Pool Photo via AP