Author Description
Can we trust our intuitive judgments of right and wrong? Are moral judgements objective? What reason do we have to do what is right and avoid doing what is wrong? In Conversations on Ethics, Alex Voorhoeve elicits answers to these questions from eleven outstanding philosophers and social scientists: Ken Binmore Philippa Foot Harry Frankfurt Allan Gibbard Daniel Kahneman Frances Kamm Alasdair MacIntyre T. M. Scanlon Peter Singer David Velleman Bernard Williams The exchanges are direct, open, and sharp, and give a clear account of these thinkers' core ideas about ethics. They also provide unique insights into their intellectual development - how they became interested in ethics, and how they conceived the ideas for which they became famous. Conversations on Ethics will engage anyone interested in moral philosophy.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
Can human intuition regarding right and wrong be trusted, and what objective basis exists for moral decision-making? Alex Voorhoeve, a philosopher and academic, facilitates a series of structured dialogues with eleven prominent thinkers to examine the foundations of moral philosophy. By engaging these experts in direct conversation, the text explores the intersection of personal intellectual history and the development of major ethical theories.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Dialogues with eleven influential philosophers and social scientists including Peter Singer, Daniel Kahneman, and Bernard Williams.
- Discussions on the objectivity of moral judgments and the rational basis for ethical behavior.
- Personal narratives detailing the intellectual evolution of the contributors.
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide a comprehensive history of ethics or a systematic textbook approach to moral theory.
- It does not offer a unified conclusion or a singular resolution to the ethical dilemmas presented.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and students of philosophy frequently cite this work as an accessible entry point into the complex ideas of contemporary moral thinkers. Readers note that the conversational format effectively humanizes abstract theories while maintaining a high level of intellectual rigor.
Page Count:
270
Publication Date:
2011-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191616958
ISBN-13:
9780191616952
Philosophy
Social Science
Interviews
Ethics
Philosophers
Philosophers - Biography
Moral Philosophy
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