Conscience and its Problems

Casuistry is a process of reasoning that focuses upon specific cases or moral problems, as opposed to a general study of ethical theories. In this broad sense every moral philosopher may be regarded as a casuist in some form. The term also has a narrower meaning as it refers to a group of moralists who, in the 16th and 17th century, systematically adopted this method. Casuistry is now one of the options for those who, in the framework of the post-modern anti-systematic attitude, still feel the importance of serious moral debate and reject easy-minded relativism. This work anticipates this development. It recognizes the legacy of casuist tradition and faces moral issues relevant to contemporary society. The author examines crucial moral problems, and offers arguments drawn from religion and those committed to religious worship and community. An extensive introduction places Kirk's approach to casuistry in the context of a general discussion of the term, its meaning and the ways in which it has been variously interpreted.