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Sung-Woo Eom

Seoul National University · Arts and Humanities

About the Lab

Professor Sung-Woo Eom's research lab focuses on virtue ethics, with a particular emphasis on the moral psychology and ethical foundations of core virtues such as honesty, gratitude, trustworthiness, and integrity. The lab explores how these virtues are motivated, cultivated, and applied in practical contexts such as medical advance directives, human subject research, and interpersonal relationships. Drawing on both classical and contemporary ethical frameworks—especially Stoic philosophy and virtue ethics—the lab investigates the normative grounds of moral motivation and the role of character in ethical decision-making.

virtue ethicshonestytrustworthinessmoral motivationethical integrity

Research Overview

Papers
21
Total Citations
84
Papers (5y)
10
Primary Field
Arts and Humanities

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
10total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
20total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|37 citations·2020
What is a relational virtue?
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1Philosophical Studies
PhilosophyArts and Humanities
2
Article|15 citations·2020
Solving the Puzzle of Partiality
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1Journal of Social Philosophy
Political Science and International RelationsSocial Sciences
3
Article|8 citations·2023
Honesty: Respect for the right not to be deceived
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1Journal of Moral EducationOA

In this paper, I explore the characteristic reason that motivates a virtuously honest person to perform honest actions. I critically examine previous accounts of honesty’s characteristic motivating reason, including Christian Miller’s pluralistic account, which allows various virtuous motivating reasons to count as honesty’s motivation. I then introduce the respect for the right not to be deceived as the moral ground that characteristically motivates a virtuously honest person’s honest action. A

PhilosophyArts and Humanities
4
Article|7 citations·2021
Vices in autonomous paternalism: The case of advance directives and persons living with dementia1
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1BioethicsOA

Advance directives are intended to extend patient autonomy by enabling patients to prospectively direct the care of their future incapacitated selves. There has been much discussion about issues such as whether the future incompetent self is identical to the agent who issues the advance directive or whether advance directives can legitimately secure patient autonomy. However, there is another important question to ask: to what extent and in what conditions is it ethically appropriate for one to

General Health ProfessionsHealth Professions
5
Article|4 citations·2019
Gratitude for Being
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1Australasian Journal of Philosophy

In this paper, I argue that what I call ‘gratitude for being’ can capture the distinctive sort of gratitude that we typically owe to our intimates, such as parents and close friends. Instead of specific actions or beneficial objects, the benefactor herself and her relationship to the beneficiary are considered as the grounds of gratitude. I argue that people who have consistent and particularized care for us deserve our gratitude for being, rather than gratitude for doing.

PhilosophyArts and Humanities
6
Article|2 citations·2022
Autonomy, shared agency and prediction
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1Journal of Medical Ethics
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
7
Article|2 citations·2024
Honesty in Human Subject Research
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1Journal of Bioethical InquiryOA

In this paper, I discuss the ethical issues related to deception in human subject research in terms of honesty. First, I introduce the background and suggest the conception of honesty that understands it as involving respect for the right not to be deceived (RND). Next, I examine several ways to address the ethical issues of deceptive elements in the human subject research and show why they fail to adequately meet the demand of honesty. I focus on how to make an honest research plan and examine

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthMedicine
8
Article|2 citations·2024
Trustfulness as a Risky Virtue
엄성우

In this paper, I aim to shed some light on the nature and value of the neglected but important virtue of trustfulness. First, I briefly introduce the nature of trust and trust relationships and explain why they are essentially risky. Second, I examine the nature of trustfulness, mainly by comparing it with other traits such as distrustfulness, gullibility, and prudent reliance. I then argue that its attitudinal element of respecting the trustee as a person ─ that is, respecting her as an agent c

9
Article|2 citations·2023
스토아학파 윤리사상의 이해
엄성우

본 논문은 스토아학파의 윤리사상에 대한 일관적이고 체계적인 분석과 이해를 그 목적으로 한다. 먼저 스토아학파 윤리사상의 근간이 되는 세계관과 가치론을 개괄한 뒤 정념과 적합한 행위, 덕과 행복 개념을 현대의 윤리적 개념과 비교하여 소개할 것이다. 이어서 일견 역설적으로 보이는 스토아학파의 운명과 자유 개념을 다룬 뒤에 평등사상의 씨앗이 된 세계시민주의를 간략하게 논할 것이다. 마지막으로 스토아학파 윤리사상에 대한 비판적 논의와 현대적 의의를 살펴보면서 이 논문을 마무리할 것이다.

10
Article|2 citations·2025
Virtuous procreation and ethical pronatalism
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1Journal of Medical Ethics
Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child HealthMedicine
11
Article|1 citations·2010
Taking Pleasure in Acting Virtuously -Aristotle on Virtue and Pleasure-
Sungwoo Um
Seoul National University Open Repository (Seoul National University)

The main aim of this paper is to argue, as Aristotle would agree, that the mere fact that a person feels pain while acting virtuously is not sufficient to claim that he is defective as a virtuous being. After providing a plausible interpretation of the moral psychology of Aristotles virtuous person, I am going to propose my own version of an Aristotelian virtuous person. For a virtuous person, although the fact that his action is virtuous would be pleasant, the fact that he has to give up precio

PhilosophyArts and Humanities
12
Article|1 citations·2023
Duty, Virtue, and Filial Love
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1PhilosophyOA

Abstract The aim of this paper is to argue that the normative significance of the inner aspects of filial piety – in particular, filial love – is better captured when we understand filial love as part of the virtue of filial piety rather than as an object of duty. After briefly introducing the value of filial love, I argue that the idea of a duty to love one's loving parents faces serious difficulties in making sense of the normative significance of filial love. Then I show why the virtue-ethica

Sociology and Political ScienceSocial Sciences
13
Article|1 citations·2024
중등 예비교사의 통합사회 교사 전문성 함양을 위한 교과목 및 교재 개발 방향 탐색
모경환, 송진웅, 심승희, 최재영, 엄성우, 남정훈, 전선민, 은지용
교육문화연구

본 연구의 목적은 중등 예비교사의 통합사회 과목 지도 역량을 함양하기 위한 사범대학 교과목 및 교재 개발의방향성을 탐색하는 데 있다. 이를 위해 먼저 교사 전문성의 핵심 구인인 내용교수지식 관련 선행연구를 검토하여통합사회 교사 전문성 개념과 구성 요소를 정립하였다. 그리고 통합사회 담당 경험이 있는 현장교사 40명과 사범대학에재학 중인 예비교사 40명을 대상으로 설문조사 및 심층 면담을 실시하여 통합사회 교사 전문성에 대한 인식과 지원요구를 조사하였다. 이후 조사 결과를 기반으로 통합사회 교사 전문성 함양을 위한 교과목 및 교재 개발의 방향을제시하였다. 본 연구를 통해 도출된 통합사회 교과목 개발 방향은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 교육과정 문서 내용을 기반으로통합사회 과목의 성격과 목표, 단원별 성취기준 및 성취기준 적용 시 고려사항을 학습할 수 있도록 해야 한다. 둘째, 영역별 내용 요소를 추출하고 이를 각 차시별 수업을 통해 학습할 수 있도록 해야 한다. 셋째, 수강생들이 내용요소와

14
Article|0 citations·2021
Matt Stichter, The Skillfulness of Virtue: Improving Our Moral and Epistemic Lives
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1Journal of Moral Philosophy
PhilosophyArts and Humanities
15
Article|0 citations·2019
MODESTY AS AN EXECUTIVE VIRTUE
Sungwoo Um
SJR Q1American Philosophical Quarterly

Abstract This paper aims to offer new insights into the virtue of modesty. It argues that modesty is best understood as an executive virtue with the moderate evaluative attitude at its center. The main goals include to describe the main features of this evaluative attitude and to distinguish it from other features that are only contingently associated with modesty. Then some distinctive features of modesty as an executive virtue are suggested and defended. Next, some of existing accounts are cri

Political Science and International RelationsSocial Sciences

Research Areas

PhilosophyPolitical Science and International RelationsPublic Health, Environmental and Occupational HealthSociology and Political ScienceGeneral Health ProfessionsPediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health

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