In this fresh evaluation of Western ethics, noted philosopher Richard Taylor argues that philosophy must return to the classical notion of virtue as the basis of ethics. To ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, ethics was chiefly the study of how individuals attain personal excellence, or 'virtue', defined as intellectual sophistication, wisdom, strength of character, and creativity. With the ascendancy of the Judeo-Christian ethic, says Taylor, this emphasis on pride of personal worth was lost. Instead, philosophy became preoccupied with defining right and wrong in terms of a divine lawgiver, and the concept of virtue was debased to mean mere obedience to divine law. Even today, in the absence of religious belief, modern thinkers unwittingly continue this legacy by creating hair-splitting definitions of good and evil.
By:
Richard Taylor Imprint: Prometheus Country of Publication: United States Dimensions:
Height: 208mm,
Width: 143mm,
Spine: 8mm
Weight: 177g ISBN:9781573929431 ISBN 10: 1573929433 Pages: 141 Publication Date:01 June 2013 Audience:
College/higher education
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Professional and scholarly
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Professional & Vocational
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A / AS level
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Further / Higher Education
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active