Ethics In The History Of Western Philosophy

'...this magnificent collection of presentations of the thought of the giants of Western ethics deserves to become a basic reference work in the field.' Ralph McInerny, The University of Notre Dame

Ethics is the business of moral philosophy by which humans try to determine what behaviors are right and wrong; good and bad; noble and ignoble. Each person strives for rectitude as they understand it, while working within the accepted values of a larger group dynamic. The moral view of the larger group is developed and refined within a state of flux, and new circumstances are constantly arising that defy individual consciences and compel each individual to reexamine how he or she applies ethical principles in everyday life. This absorbing volume looks at the development of the three major fields of Western ethics over time, while providing insightful cross-cultural comparisons between ancient moral philosophies of societies across the globe.

This newly revised and updated edition of A History of Western Ethics is a coherent and accessible overview of the most important figures and influential ideas of the history of ethics in the Western philosophical tradition.

In the Magnum Opus Hermetic Sourceworks series.

This volume provides a wide-ranging and lucid introducing to the major ethical theories found in the history of Western philosophy.

Gender scholarship during the last four decades has shown that the exclusion of women's voices and perspectives has diminished academic disciplines in important ways. Traditional scholarship in philosophy is no different. The 'recovery project' in philosophy is engaged in re-discovering the names, lives, texts, and perspectives of women philosophers from the 6th Century BCE to the present. Karen Warren brings together 16 colleagues for a unique, groundbreaking study of Western philosophy which combines pairs of leading men and women philosophers over the past 2600 years, acknowledging and evaluating their contributions to foundational themes in philosophy, including epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics. Introductory essays, primary source readings, and commentaries comprise each chapter to offer a rich and accessible introduction to and evaluation of these vital philosophical contributions. A helpful appendix canvasses an extraordinary number of women philosophers for further discovery and study.

Is there an objective moral standard that applies to all our actions? To what extent should I sacrifice my own interests for the sake of others? How might philosophers of the past help us think about contemporary ethical problems? As the most recent addition to the Blackwell Readings in Philosophy series, History of Ethics: Essential Readings with Commentary brings together rich and varied excerpts of canonical work and contemporary scholarship to span the history of Western moral philosophy in one volume. Editors Star and Crisp, noted scholars in their fields, expertly introduce the readings to illuminate the main philosophical ideas and arguments in each selection, and connect them to broader themes. These detailed and incisive editorial commentaries make the primary source texts accessible to students while guiding them chronologically through the history of Western ethics. Structured around a thematic table of contents divided into three distinct sections, History of Ethics charts patterns in the development of ethical thought across time to highlight connections between intellectual movements. Selections range from the work of well-known figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, and Mill to the work of philosophers often overlooked by such anthologies, including Butler, Smith, Sidgwick, Anscombe, Foot, and Frankena. Star and Crisp skillfully arrange the collection to connect readings to contemporary issues and interests by featuring examples such as Aquinas on self-defense and the doctrine of double effect, Kant on virtue, and Mill’s The Subjection of Women. Written for students and scholars of ethics, History of Ethics is a comprehensive collection of readings with expert editorial commentary that curates the most important and influential work in the history of ethics in the Western world.