ABSTRACT

Specific domains of talent have been increasingly recognized by educators. Howard Gruber has done a great deal to direct attention to what may be the most critical domain, namely, moral creativity. The intent of this article is to honor Gruber's genius in our own humble fashion, by reviewing and integrating the recent work on moral creativity. Special attention is directed to points of agreement found in the literature to implications for studies of creativity and education. This is not merely a review, however; we make every effort to compare and contrast the various theories and highlight the controversies in this area. One of the more surprising controversies involves the concept of adaptation, which is often associated with creativity and would seem to have great potential for addressing creativity in the moral domain and the resolution of moral dilemmas. We also explore the arguable theories that writing is the more useful domain for the resolution of creative dilemmas, that art for art's sake is ethical, and that general knowledge should be targeted in moral education. We begin and end with the question, Why is creativity in the moral domain more important now than ever before?