The Development of Ethics: Volume III: From Kant to Rawls - Softcover

Irwin, Terence

 
9780199693870: The Development of Ethics: Volume III: From Kant to Rawls
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0199693870 ISBN 13: 9780199693870
Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2011

Synopsis

The Development of Ethics is a selective historical and critical study of moral philosophy in the Socratic tradition, with special attention to Aristotelian naturalism, its formation, elaboration, criticism, and defence. It discusses the main topics of moral philosophy as they have developed historically, including: the human good, human nature, justice, friendship, and morality; the methods of moral inquiry; the virtues and their connexions; will, freedom, and responsibility; reason and emotion; relativism, subjectivism, and realism; the theological aspect of morality. This volume examines ancient and medieval philosophy up to the sixteenth century; Volumes 2 and 3 will continue the story up to Rawls's Theory of Justice.

The present volume begins with Socrates, the Cyrenaics and Cynics, and Plato, and then offers a fuller account of Aristotle, stressing the systematic naturalism of his position. The Stoic position is compared with the Aristotelian at some length; Epicureans and Sceptics are discussed more briefly. Chapters on early Christianity and on Augustine introduce a fuller examination of Aquinas' revision, elaboration, and defence of Aristotelian naturalism. The volume closes with an account of some criticisms of the Aristotelian outlook by Scotus, Ockham, Machiavelli, and some sixteenth-century Reformers.

The emphasis of the book is not purely descriptive, narrative, or exegetical, but also philosophical. Irwin discusses the comparative merits of different views, the difficulties that they raise, and how some of the difficulties might be resolved. The book tries to present the leading moral philosophers of the past as participants in a rational discussion that is still being carried on, and tries to help the reader to participate in this discussion.

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About the Author

Terence Irwin is Professor of Ancient Philosophy in the University of Oxford, and Fellow of Keble College.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Publication date
2011
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0199693870
ISBN 13 
9780199693870
Binding
Paperback
Number of pages
1050

Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780199571789: The Development of Ethics: A Historical and Critical Study, Vol. 3 - From Kant to Rawls

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  0199571783 ISBN 13:  9780199571789
Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2009
Hardcover