A guide to ethics and moral philosophy / Brent Adkins.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Adkins, Brent, 1969- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ethics.

Ethics--History.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (185 pages) : illustrations

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh, [Scotland] : Edinburgh University Press, 2017.

Summary:

A student’s guide to ethics and moral philosophy in its historical contextDownload a free sample chapter (pdf)How should we live? How should we act? How might we live? These are the three questions of moral philosophy. Brent Adkins traces the history of ethics and morality by examining six thinkers: Aristotle, Spinoza, Kant, Mill, Nietzsche and Levinas. The book is divided into 3 sections – Ethics, Morality and Beyond. Two thinkers are paired in each section to show you how the important questions of moral philosophy have been answered so that you might better answer them for yourself. You’ll learn what the philosophers actually said about how to live the best kind of life and, more importantly, why.Key FeaturesEach chapter includes definitions of key termsThe end of each chapter includes summaries and discussion questions, which reinforce and apply the materialThe discussion of each thinker is centered on a specific text for ease of reference and clarity of understanding: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Spinoza’s Ethics, Kant’s Groundwork, Mill’s Utilitarianism, Nietzsche’s Genealogy and Levinas’ ‘Ethics as First Philosophy’Includes a glossary and a helpful timeline to contextualise each philosopher's life and work"

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Glossary

Introduction: Three Questions

PART I ETHICS HOW SHOULD WE LIVE? ARISTOTLE AND SPINOZA

1 Aristotle: Happiness is the Good (Nicomachean Ethics, Books 1 and 2)

2 Aristotle: Virtue and the Highest Happiness (Nicomachean Ethics, Books 2, 6 and 10)

3 Spinoza: The Universe and Power (Ethics, Parts 1, 2, and 3)

4 Spinoza: Emotions and Freedom (Ethics, Parts 4 and 5)

PART II MORALITY HOW SHOULD WE ACT? KANT AND MILL

5 Kant: Happiness is not the Good (Groundwork, Part 1)

6 Kant: The Categorical Imperative (Groundwork, Part 2)

7 Mill: Happiness is Pleasure (Utilitarianism, Chapters 1 and 2)

8 Mill: The Greatest Happiness for the Greatest Number (Utilitarianism, Chapters 3, 4, and 5)

PART III BEYOND HOW MIGHT WE LIVE? NIETZSCHE AND LEVINAS

9 Nietzsche: These are the Wrong Questions (Genealogy of Morals, First Essay)

10 Nietzsche: Morality and Power (Genealogy of Morals, Second Essay)

11 Levinas: Philosophy and Appropriation (“Ethics as First Philosophy”)

12 Levinas: Ethics and the Other (“Ethics as First Philosophy”)

Conclusion: Beyond Beyond

Suggestions for Further Reading

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781474422796

1474422799

9781474422802

1474422802