Synopses & Reviews
Terence Irwin presents a historical and critical study of the development of moral philosophy over two thousand years, from ancient Greece to the Reformation. Starting with the seminal ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, he guides the reader through the centuries that follow, introducing each of the thinkers he discusses with generous quotations from their works. He offers not only careful interpretation but critical evaluation of what they have to offer philosophically. This is the first of three volumes which will examine the history of ethics in the Socratic tradition, up to the late 20th century.
Review
"Development...provides the novice in ethics with a challenging introduction to moral philosophical thinking and the more experienced scholar with a host of bold yet clear positions that invite philosophical consideration and reflection. We can look forward to more of the same in the upcoming volumes that continue and conclude Irwin's extensive project."--Dimitrios Dentsoras, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
Review
"
Development...provides the novice in ethics with a challenging introduction to moral philosophical thinking and the more experienced scholar with a host of bold yet clear positions that invite philosophical consideration and reflection. We can look forward to more of the same in the upcoming volumes that continue and conclude Irwin's extensive project."--Dimitrios Dentsoras,
Notre Dame Philosophical ReviewsSynopsis
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.
Synopsis
Terence Irwin presents a study of the development of moral philosophy, from ancient Greece to the Renaissance. Starting with the seminal ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, he guides the reader through the centuries that follow.
Table of Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
I. Introduction
II. Socrates
III. Cyrenaics
IV. Cynics
V. Plato
VI. Aristotle: Happiness
VII. Aristotle: Nature
VIII. Aristotle: Virtue
IX. Aristotle: Virtue and Morality
X. Scepticism
XI. Epicurus
XII. Stoicism: Action, Passion, and Reason
XIII. Stoicism: Virtue and Happiness
XIV. Christian Theology and Moral Philosophy
XV. Augustine
XVI. Aquinas: Will
XVII. Aquinas: Action
XVIII. Aquinas: Freedom
XIX. Aquinas: The Ultimate End
XX. Aquinas: Moral Virtue
XXI. Aquinas: Natural Law
XXII. Aquinas: Practical Reason and Prudence
XXIII. Aquinas: The Canon of Virtues
XXIV. Aquinas: Sin and Grace
XXV. Scotus: Will, Freedom, and Reason
XXVI. Scotus: Virtuee and Practical Reason
XXVII. Ockham
XXVIII. Machiavelli
XXIX. The Reformation and Scholastic Moral Philosophy
Bibliography
Index