The Foundation And Application Of Moral Philosophy

Paul Ricoeur (1913), prominent French philosopher, is one of the most versatile thinkers of our time. Moreover, he is known to be an extremely gifted lecturer, who is able to set forth ethical issues very lucidly. His erudition and profundity are also evident in the two texts that are central to this book, i.e. 'The Problem of the Foundation of Moral Philosophy' and 'Can Forgiveness Heal?' These lectures constitute a remarkable effort on the part of Ricoeur to find an original and more radical foundation of ethics than can be expressed in any law. He demonstrates quite convincingly why the law is not the primary category of ethics. He further deals with the question of what might be the evangelical orientation of ethics. Finally, he sheds light on the specific role of forgiveness. The two lectures by Ricoeur, which have been translated here from French into English, and to which an introduction and three multi-disciplinary commentaries have been added, not only elucidate a fundamental question in the field of ethics, but, in a more general sense, they are also fine examples of philosophical reasoning.

In this new edition of Foundations for Moral Relativism a distinguished moral philosopher tames a bugbear of current debate about cultural difference. J. David Velleman shows that different communities can indeed be subject to incompatible moralities, because their local mores are rationally binding. At the same time, he explains why the mores of different communities, even when incompatible, are still variations on the same moral themes. The book thus maps out a universe of many moral worlds without, as Velleman puts it, "moral black holes”. The six self-standing chapters discuss such diverse topics as online avatars and virtual worlds, lying in Russian and truth-telling in Quechua, the pleasure of solitude and the fear of absurdity. Accessibly written, this book presupposes no prior training in philosophy.

Foundations of Moral Philosophy: Readings in Metaethics is a comprehensive, state-of-the art collection of fifty-six contemporary readings and historical sources on major issues in metaethics. It focuses on the meaning of moral terms, the nature of moral truth, and the reasons that are used tosupport moral judgments. While other anthologies include mostly articles by men, this volume features unparalleled representation of women philosophers, with one-third of the contemporary articles authored or coauthored by women. Wherever appropriate, the articles have been carefully edited toensure that they will be exceptionally clear and understandable to undergraduate students. The volume is enhanced by an insightful general introduction, introductions and study questions for each selection, and a detailed glossary.

This study is an introduction to the problems of moral philosophy designed particularly for students of theology and religious studies. It offers an account of the nature and subject matter of moral reasoning and of the major types of moral theory current in contemporary moral philosophy. The account aims to bring out the major issues in moral theory, to present a clear, non-technical articulation of the structure of moral knowledge and to explore the relation between religious belief and morality.

Examines how practical reasoning can be put into the service of ethical and moral theory.

Originally published in 1988, this landmark study develops its own positive account of the nature and foundations of moral judgement, while at the same time serving as a guide to the range of views on the matter which have been given in modern western philosophy. The book addresses itself to two main questions: Can moral judgements be true or false in that fundamental sense in which a true proposition is one which describes things as they really are? Are rational methods available in ethics which can be expected to produce convergence on shared moral views on the part of those who use them intelligently?