Mandeville's Fable : Pride, Hypocrisy, and Sociability / Robin Douglass.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Douglass, Robin, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mandeville, Bernard, 1670-1733.

Mandeville, Bernard.

Ethics--Early works to 1800.

Ethics.

Conscience--Early works to 1800.

Conscience.

Conduct of life--Early works to 1800.

Conduct of life.

Sociology--Great Britain--History.

Sociology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [2023]

Summary:

"Why we should take Bernard Mandeville seriously as a philosopherBernard Mandeville's The Fable of the Bees outraged its eighteenth-century audience by proclaiming that private vices lead to public prosperity. Today the work is best known as an early iteration of laissez-faire capitalism. In this book, Robin Douglass looks beyond the notoriety of Mandeville's great work to reclaim its status as one of the most incisive philosophical studies of human nature and the origin of society in the Enlightenment era. Focusing on Mandeville's moral, social, and political ideas, Douglass offers a revelatory account of why we should take Mandeville seriously as a philosopher.Douglass expertly reconstructs Mandeville's theory of how self-centred individuals, who care for their reputation and social standing above all else, could live peacefully together in large societies. Pride and shame are the principal motives of human behaviour, on this account, with a large dose of hypocrisy and self-deception lying behind our moral practices. In his analysis, Douglass attends closely to the changes between different editions of the Fable; considers Mandeville's arguments in light of objections and rival accounts from other eighteenth-century philosophers, including Shaftesbury, Hume, and Smith; and draws on more recent findings from social psychology.With this detailed and original reassessment of Mandeville's philosophy, Douglass shows how The Fable of the Bees-by shining a light on the dark side of human nature-has the power to unsettle readers even today"-- Provided by publisher.

"Bernard Mandeville's The Fable of the Bees outraged its eighteenth-century audience by proclaiming that private vices lead to public prosperity. Today the work is best known as an early iteration of laissez-faire capitalism. In this book, Robin Douglass looks beyond the notoriety of Mandeville's great work to reclaim its status as one of the most incisive philosophical studies of human nature and the origin of society in the Enlightenment era. Focusing on Mandeville's moral, social, and political ideas, Douglass offers a revelatory account of why we should take Mandeville seriously as a philosopher. Douglass expertly reconstructs Mandeville's theory of how self-centred individuals, who care for their reputation and social standing above all else, could live peacefully together in large societies. Pride and shame are the principal motives of human behaviour, on this account, with a large dose of hypocrisy and self-deception lying behind our moral practices. In his analysis, Douglass attends closely to the changes between different editions of the Fable; considers Mandeville's arguments in light of objections and rival accounts from other eighteenth-century philosophers, including Shaftesbury, Hume, and Smith; and draws on more recent findings from social psychology. With this detailed and original reassessment of Mandeville's philosophy, Douglass shows how The Fable of the Bees-by shining a light on the dark side of human nature-has the power to unsettle readers even today"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Cover

Contents

Preface

Conventions

Introduction

A Pride-Centred Theory of Sociability

Satire and Philosophy

'Private Vices, Publick Benefits' and the Origins of Sociability

A Brief Roadmap

Part I. Moral Psychology

1. Pride and Human Nature

The Place of Pride in Mandeville's Psychology

Pride, Fear, and Self-Preservation

Self-love and self-liking

Pride and Shame

Criticisms of Mandeville's Psychology

Objections to Psychological Egoism

Pride vs. Praiseworthy Motives

Conclusion

2. The Morality of Pride

The Vice of Pride

Definitional Complexities

The Morality of self-liking

The Problem of Sincerity

An Augustinian view of Pride?

A Satire upon Morality?

Is Pride Really that Bad?

Pride vs. a Well-Regulated Desire for Esteem

3. Sociability, Hypocrisy, and Virtue

Enter Shaftesbury

Shaftesbury on Sociability, Virtue, and Beauty

A Digression on the 'Pulchrum & Honestum'

Virtue, Self-Denial, and Hypocrisy

Why 'A Vast Inlet to Hypocrisy'?

Social Utility and 'Counterfeited' Virtue

Sociability and Hypocrisy

The use and Abuse of Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy and the Origin of Virtue

Should Hypocrisy be Unmasked?

Part II. Historical Narratives

4. The Desire of Dominion and Origin of Society

Mandeville's Origin Stories

The Role of Human Contrivance (1714-23)

Mandeville's Historical Turn

Sociability and the steps Towards Society

On 'The Sociableness of Man'

Mandeville vs. Templeon the Savage Family

The first two Steps

The Third Step and the Origin of Language

Addendum on whether Cleomenes and Horatio Switch Roles

A theory of Social Evolution?

A theory of Political Authority?

5. Honour, Religion, and War

The Origins of Virtue and Honour, Revisited

Virtue and Honour

Modern Honour

The Origin of Honour

Christian Virtue

The Passions of War

Duelling, Honour, and Politeness

Love of Country and Religious Enthusiasm

Pride in the Economic Sphere

Was Mandeville Right?

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780691224695

0691224692

OCLC:

1373237174