Regard for Reason in the Moral Mind

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Health & Well Being, Psychology
Cover of the book Regard for Reason in the Moral Mind by Joshua May, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Joshua May ISBN: 9780192539618
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: May 10, 2018
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Joshua May
ISBN: 9780192539618
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: May 10, 2018
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

The burgeoning science of ethics has produced a trend toward pessimism. Ordinary moral thought and action, we're told, are profoundly influenced by arbitrary factors and ultimately driven by unreasoned feelings. This book counters the current orthodoxy on its own terms by carefully engaging with the empirical literature. The resulting view, optimistic rationalism, shows the pervasive role played by reason our moral minds, and ultimately defuses sweeping debunking arguments in ethics. The science does suggest that moral knowledge and virtue don't come easily. However, despite the heavy influence of automatic and unconscious processes that have been shaped by evolutionary pressures, we needn't reject ordinary moral psychology as fundamentally flawed or in need of serious repair. Reason can be corrupted in ethics just as in other domains, but a special pessimism about morality in particular is unwarranted. Moral judgment and motivation are fundamentally rational enterprises not beholden to the passions.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The burgeoning science of ethics has produced a trend toward pessimism. Ordinary moral thought and action, we're told, are profoundly influenced by arbitrary factors and ultimately driven by unreasoned feelings. This book counters the current orthodoxy on its own terms by carefully engaging with the empirical literature. The resulting view, optimistic rationalism, shows the pervasive role played by reason our moral minds, and ultimately defuses sweeping debunking arguments in ethics. The science does suggest that moral knowledge and virtue don't come easily. However, despite the heavy influence of automatic and unconscious processes that have been shaped by evolutionary pressures, we needn't reject ordinary moral psychology as fundamentally flawed or in need of serious repair. Reason can be corrupted in ethics just as in other domains, but a special pessimism about morality in particular is unwarranted. Moral judgment and motivation are fundamentally rational enterprises not beholden to the passions.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book How We Fight by Joshua May
Cover of the book The Beautiful and Damned by Joshua May
Cover of the book Applied Musicology by Joshua May
Cover of the book Ezra Pound's Chinese Friends by Joshua May
Cover of the book The Community of Advantage by Joshua May
Cover of the book Literature and the Public Good by Joshua May
Cover of the book Breaking Rules: The Social and Situational Dynamics of Young People's Urban Crime by Joshua May
Cover of the book The Virtues of Leadership by Joshua May
Cover of the book Procurement of Utilities by Joshua May
Cover of the book Genetics of Psychological Well-Being by Joshua May
Cover of the book A Dictionary of Law by Joshua May
Cover of the book The Kings and Queens of Britain by Joshua May
Cover of the book The Gallic War by Joshua May
Cover of the book Feeling Things by Joshua May
Cover of the book Corporate Governance and Managerial Reform in Japan by Joshua May
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy