Brett McKay here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness

Podcast. Virtue ethics is an approach to life, a framework for developing character and making moral decisions.

To learn about Virtue Ethics, you could read a philosophical treatise by Aristotle.

Or you could read a fictional novel by J.R.R. Tolkien.

As my guest, Christopher Snyder observes, the ideals of virtue ethics are well illustrated

in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, being vividly embodied in the characters of Middle Earth.

Chris is a professor of European history, a medieval scholar, and the author of Hobbit virtues,

rediscovering J.R. Tolkien's ethics from the Lord of the Rings.

Taylor show, he shares the way Tolkien's fantasy stories provide real lessons in the capacity of ordinary people to act heroically.

We discuss the courage of persistence, the importance of

fellowship, and how it differs from friendship, the role of merry making in the good life,

and the value of chivalry. After the show's over check at our show notes at

AOM. I S slash Hobbit virtues. After shows over check at our show notes at A.O.M.

I. slash Hobbit virtues. All right, Chris Snyder, welcome to the show.

All right, Chris Snyder, welcome to the show.

Thank you, Brett, thank you for having me.

I'm looking forward to our conversation.

So you are a professor of medieval history who also specializes in the work of J.R.

Tolkien. How do you say Tolkien or Tolkien? I'm always wondering how to the best way. There's a bit of debate about it and

Tolkien himself talks about this, but Tolkien.

Tolkien is good. So J.R. Tolkien, I'm curious, did Tolkien lead you to medieval history or did medieval history lead you to

Tolkien?

...