Synopses & Reviews
Few contemporary philosophers have made as wide-ranging and insightful a contribution to philosophical debate as John Cottingham. This collection brings together friends, colleagues and former students of Cottingham, to discuss major themes of his work on moral philosophy. Presented in three parts the collection focuses on the debate on partiality, impartiality and character; the role of emotions and reason in the good life; the meaning of a worthwhile life and the place of theistic considerations in it. The original contributions to this volume celebrate Cottinghams work by embracing and furthering his arguments and, at times, in the best spirit of philosophical engagement, challenging and confronting them. The volume concludes with Cottinghams specially commissioned responses to the contributions.
Review
"This fine collection of essays honors the distinguished work of John Cottingham. The contributors examine critically his distinctive and thoughtful treatments of some of the most fundamental questions in ethics, such as the meaning of life, the connection between religion and ethics, the psychoanalytic approach to human motivation, and the place of emotions in ethics. Cottinghams replies defend, develop, and clarify his views. All in all, this is a most valuable exchange showing how philosophy can be done reasonably and humanistically without the mock precision and jargon that imitates scientific writings."--John Kekes
About the Author
NAFSIKA ATHANASSOULIS is Lecturer in Ethics at Keele University, UK. She is the author of
Morality: Moral Luck and Responsibility: Fortunes Web and editor of
Philosophical Reflections on Medial Ethics.
SAMANTHA VICE is Lecturer in Philosophy at Rhodes University, South Africa. She is co-author, with Ward E. Jones, of Ethics in Film, and has published papers on the self, goodness, self-judgement and the work of Iris Murdoch.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements * Notes on Contributors * Introduction; N.Athanassoulis & S.Vice * PART 1: PARTIALITY, SPIRITUALITY AND CHARACTER * The Significance of the Self: Partiality and Spirituality; S.Vice * Contempt and Integrity; M.de Gaynesford * Self-Love, Love of Neighbour, and Impartiality; D.S.Oderberg * PART 2: THE EMOTIONS AND THE GOOD LIFE * Akrasia and the Emotions; N.Athanassoulis * The Inner Life of the 'Dear Self'; S.Morgan * What Reason Can't Do; M.Lacewing * PART 3: THE MEANING OF LIFE * Meaning, Morality, and Religion; R.Crisp * The Meaning of Life: Subjectivism, Objectivism, and Divine Support; B.Hooker * God, Morality and the Meaning of Life; T.Metz * The Self, the Good Life and the Transcendent; J.Cottingham * Index