Moral and Political Philosophy - Softcover

Rutherford, James H.

9780976309703: Moral and Political Philosophy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 097630970X ISBN 13: 9780976309703

Publisher: Top 20 Pub, 2005

This book presents a framework for understanding moral and political philosophy based on a multi-dimensional understanding of human nature. Author James Rutherford graduated from Harvard University and did his post-graduate work at the Ohio State University College of Medicine and at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. He says that none of the philosophical perspectives presented over the past 100 years have given a coherent view of the whole. This book aims to bring coherence to moral and political philosophy.

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From the Publisher:

A singular emphasis on freedom and liberty at this time may be good for rallying the nation, but it should also be understood that we are in a battle of ideas, in part, with a radical version of Islam. Islam, the religion of 1.2 billion people, is based on a submission to the will of God. Much of the liberty that we convey, on the other hand, is seen by others as the license and self-indulgence in our popular culture rather than the political concept of self-government. During the current war on terrorism it may be appropriate that we emphasize freedom, and to win this war we will need the cooperation of many countries that are not constitutional democracies. To win the peace, however, we will need to understand and convey that our primary moral value is universal equality. It is some recognition of our common humanity in a pluralistic world that makes the accommodation of a wide variety of attributes, cultural differences, desires, and beliefs possible without the use of coercion or being the cause of alienation.

From the Author:

Jefferson, Madison, Tocqueville, and Lincoln all considered equality to be the primary moral principle of constitutional democracy. Yet again, in the current war on terrorism, which began on September 11, 2001, I cannot recall one instance of even a mention of equality. The terrorist attack of 9/11 was an attack on our freedom and security and it is perhaps understandable that our values have subsequently been described primarily in those terms.

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