Recounting these stories and asking listeners what the characters should do, he allows the listeners to perceive ever higher and more abstract principles and forms of moral reasoning, thus picking themselves up by their own bootstraps. A competing model championed by William Bennett is that of Aristotle. Aristotle had a two part moral theory, one part being what moral goodness is and the second part addressing how we learn to be moral. The heart of Aristotle's ethical view is embodied in his concept of virtue. Human virtue, he believed, is the mean between extremes.
Compassion is the mean between callousness, a deficiency, and pity, an excess.
Courage is a virtue which lies between cowardice and foolhardiness, and loyalty the mean between indifference and obsequiousness, etc. Aristotle was convinced that a life lived in the mean was conducive to happiness and well being, so that happiness coincides with moral character. However, unlike Kohlberg, who sees moral character resulting from cognitive awareness which develops through ever higher, more abstract perceptions of the good, or right, Aristotle sees moral character as a consequence of habituation. We develop courage by doing things which require courage, and become generous by giving to others. Our character is developed over time like the skills of an athlete whose actions, while conscious, are perfected by habit.