A philosophical approach to talent development: the why?

Scientific

The talent development literature has varying views on the ultimate goals for talent development, such as achieving eminence, contributing to societal challenges, and individual happiness. Clarity on the ultimate goals of talent development is highly relevant, as they guide how talent development should be designed. To date, however, there has been no systematic research into the very fundamental question of why talents should be developed. This article therefore examines whether and how talents should be developed from the perspective of three ethical schools: virtue ethics (Aristotle), duty ethics (Kant), and utilitarianism (John Stuart Mill). From these ethical foundations, this article then derives practical guidelines that the design of talent development should meet.