The elements of moral philosophy, in three books with a brief account of the nature, progress, and origin of philosophy / David Fordyce ; edited and with an introduction by Thomas Kennedy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fordyce, David, 1711-1751, author.

Contributor:

Kennedy, Thomas D., 1955- editor.

Series:

Natural law and enlightenment classics.

Natural law and enlightenment classics

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ethics.

Duty.

Conduct of life.

Philosophy--History.

Philosophy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (233 p.)

Place of Publication:

Indianapolis : Liberty Fund, [2003]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Though little known today, David Fordyce was an important figure in the Scottish Enlightenment and closely associated with liberal Dissenters in England. His "Elements of Moral Philosophy" was a notable contribution to the curriculum in moral philosophy and a widely circulated text in moral philosophy in the second half of the eighteenth century. It was first published as part of a comprehensive textbook system in 1748 and as a separate book in 1754. It is the latter that is now being reissued. The significance of "The Elements" is evidenced by the fact that it was included practically verbatim in the first edition of the "Encyclopaedia Britannica" (1771). "A Brief Account," Fordyce's opening lectures to his Marischal class of 1743/44, has never before been published. David Fordyce (1711-1751) taught at Marischal College, Aberdeen. Thomas D. Kennedy is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Valparaiso University. Knud Haakonssen is Professor of Intellectual History and Director of the Centre for Intellectual History at the University of Sussex, England.

Contents:

""David Fordyce, The Elements of Moral Philosophy ""; ""Front Matter ""; ""Title Page ""; ""Copyright Details ""; ""Table of Contents ""; ""Introduction, p. ix ""; ""Note on the Texts, p. xvii ""; ""Acknowledgments ""; ""The Elements of Moral Philosophy ""; ""Original Title Page ""; ""Book I ""; ""Preliminaries, p. 3 ""; ""Section I. Of Man and His Connections, p. 7 ""; ""Section II. Of Duty, or Moral Obligation, p. 25 ""; ""Section III. Various Hypotheses Concerning Moral Obligation, p. 29 ""; ""Section IV. The Final Causes of Our Moral Faculties of Perception and Affection, p. 41 ""

""Book II """"Section I. The Principal Distinctions of Duty or Virtue, p. 53 ""; ""Section II. Of Man's Duty to Himself, p. 60 ""; ""Section III. Duties to Society, p. 79 ""; ""Chapter I. Filial and Fraternal Duty, p. 79 ""; ""Chapter II. Concerning Marriage, p. 81 ""; ""Chapter III. Of Parental Duty, p. 86 ""; ""Chapter IV. Herile and Servile Duty, p. 88 ""; ""Chapter V. Social Duties of the private Kind, p. 90 ""; ""Chapter VI. Social Duties of the Commercial Kind, p. 97 ""; ""Chapter VII. Social Duties of the Political Kind, p. 100 ""; ""Section IV. Duty to God, p. 108 ""; ""Book III ""

""Section I. Of Practical Ethics, or the Culture of the Mind, p. 119 """"Section II. Motives to Virtue from Personal Happiness, p. 132 ""; ""Section III. Motives to Virtue from the Being and Providence of God, p. 147 ""; ""Section IV. Motive to Virtue from the Immortality of the Soul, &c., p. 152 ""; ""A brief Account of the Nature, Progress, and Origin of Philosophy, p. 165 ""; ""Index, p. 203 ""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-61487-796-3

OCLC:

61704265