Since antiquity, mercy has been regarded as a virtue. Yet by the end of the eighteenth century, mercy had been exiled from political life. In this book, Malcolm Bull analyses and challenges the Enlightenment's rejection of mercy. Political realism, Bull argues, demands recognition of the foundational role of mercy in society. If we are vulnerable to harm from others, we are in need of their mercy. By restoring the primacy of mercy over justice, we may constrain the powerful and release the agency of the powerless. An important contribution to political philosophy from an inventive thinker, On Mercy makes a persuasive case for returning this neglected virtue to the heart of political thought.
By:
Malcolm Bull Imprint: Princeton University Press Country of Publication: United States Dimensions:
Height: 203mm,
Width: 127mm,
ISBN:9780691217451 ISBN 10: 0691217459 Pages: 204 Publication Date:20 April 2021 Audience:
General/trade
,
Professional and scholarly
,
ELT Advanced
,
Undergraduate
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active
Malcolm Bull is Professor of Art and the History of Ideas at the University of Oxford and a Senior Associate Research Fellow of Christ Church, Oxford. He is the author of books on Vico and Nietzsche.