Evolution, Human Behaviour and Morality
The Legacy of Westermarck
1st Edition
Published on 30. June 2020
Book
Paperback/Softback
238 pages
978-0-367-59615-6 (ISBN)
Description
This book highlights the recent re-emergence of Edward Westermarck's work in modern approaches to morality and altruism, examining his importance as one of the founding fathers of anthropology and as a moral relativist, who identified our moral feelings with biologically-evolved retributive emotions.
Questioning the extent to which current debates on the relationship between biology and morality are similar to those in which Westermarck himself was involved, the authors ask what can be learnt from his arguments and from the criticism that he encountered. Drawing on Westermarck's manuscripts and papers as well as his published work, the authors show the importance of situating debates, whether modern or classical, in their correct methodological and philosophical context.
This volume is a rigorous assessment of the ways in which morality is connected with human biological nature. It plays close attention to the development of debates in this field and will appeal to scholars of sociology, anthropology and philosophy.
Questioning the extent to which current debates on the relationship between biology and morality are similar to those in which Westermarck himself was involved, the authors ask what can be learnt from his arguments and from the criticism that he encountered. Drawing on Westermarck's manuscripts and papers as well as his published work, the authors show the importance of situating debates, whether modern or classical, in their correct methodological and philosophical context.
This volume is a rigorous assessment of the ways in which morality is connected with human biological nature. It plays close attention to the development of debates in this field and will appeal to scholars of sociology, anthropology and philosophy.
Reviews / Votes
'This book is an important contribution to the revival of interest in Edward Westermarck, one of the greatest but most overlooked of the classical sociologists. Most discussions of Westermarck focus on his now celebrated theory of incest avoidance, but this volume goes beyond that to consider him as a forerunner of evolutionary psychology and his Darwinian understanding of the evolution of morality. In that regard it is especially welcome.' Stephen K. Sanderson, University of California, Riverside, USAMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
470 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-367-59615-6 (9780367596156)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Olli Lagerspetz | Jan Antfolk | Ylva Gustafsson
Evolution, Human Behaviour and Morality
The Legacy of Westermarck
Book
08/2016
1st Edition
Routledge
€222.84
Shipment within 10-20 days
Olli Lagerspetz | Jan Antfolk | Ylva Gustafsson
Evolution, Human Behaviour and Morality
The Legacy of Westermarck
E-Book
08/2016
Routledge
€59.49
Available for download
Olli Lagerspetz | Jan Antfolk | Ylva Gustafsson
Evolution, Human Behaviour and Morality
The Legacy of Westermarck
E-Book
08/2016
1st Edition
Routledge
€59.49
Available for download
Persons
Olli Lagerspetz is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Abo Akademi University, Finland. He is the author of Trust, Ethics and Human Reason and co-author of Edward Westermarck: Intellectual Networks, Philosophy and Social Anthropology.
Jan Antfolk is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychology at Abo Akademi University, Finland.
Ylva Gustafsson is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Philosophy at Abo Akademi University, Finland.
Camilla Kronqvist is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Philosophy at Abo Akademi University, Finland.
Jan Antfolk is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Psychology at Abo Akademi University, Finland.
Ylva Gustafsson is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Philosophy at Abo Akademi University, Finland.
Camilla Kronqvist is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Philosophy at Abo Akademi University, Finland.
Content
1. Introduction: Westermarck and Modern Evolutionary Approaches to Morality
Part 1: Westermarck and the Emergence of 20th Century Social Anthropology
2. Westermarck and the Emergence of 20th Century Social Anthropology: Three Main Challenges
3. Westermarck, Malinowski and the 'Wild Things': At the Interface between Anthropology, Sexology and Psychoanalysis
4. The Sensitiveness of the Holy: Westermarck and Durkheim on Religion and Society
5. Westermarck, the Evolutionists and the Question of Context
Part 2: Westermarck as a Precursor of Evolutionary Psychology
6. Westermarck as a Precursor of Evolutionary Psychology: The Nature and Nurture of Evolutionary Explanations
7. Itemising Westermarck's Hypothesis: The Assumptions Embedded in Westermarck's Explanation of Human Incest Avoidanc
8. The Westermarck Thesis as a Thinking Tool for Sociobiology
Part 3: The Emotional Origins of Morality
9. The Emotional Origins of Morality: Methodological Issues
10. The Evolution of Westermarck's Theory of Moral Emotions
11. Westermarck and Moore on the Source of Morality
12. Emotions and Moral Relativism: Prinz and Westermarck
Part 4: Evolutionary Psychology of Morality: Critical Perspectives
13. Critical Perspectives on Evolutionary Psychology and Morality
14. Why Altruism May Not be the Right Concept for Understanding Morality
15. Westermarck, Sympathy and Natural Selection
16. Darwinian Conservatives and Westermarck's Ethics: A Political Dimension of the Late 20th Century Westermarckian Renaissance
Part 1: Westermarck and the Emergence of 20th Century Social Anthropology
2. Westermarck and the Emergence of 20th Century Social Anthropology: Three Main Challenges
3. Westermarck, Malinowski and the 'Wild Things': At the Interface between Anthropology, Sexology and Psychoanalysis
4. The Sensitiveness of the Holy: Westermarck and Durkheim on Religion and Society
5. Westermarck, the Evolutionists and the Question of Context
Part 2: Westermarck as a Precursor of Evolutionary Psychology
6. Westermarck as a Precursor of Evolutionary Psychology: The Nature and Nurture of Evolutionary Explanations
7. Itemising Westermarck's Hypothesis: The Assumptions Embedded in Westermarck's Explanation of Human Incest Avoidanc
8. The Westermarck Thesis as a Thinking Tool for Sociobiology
Part 3: The Emotional Origins of Morality
9. The Emotional Origins of Morality: Methodological Issues
10. The Evolution of Westermarck's Theory of Moral Emotions
11. Westermarck and Moore on the Source of Morality
12. Emotions and Moral Relativism: Prinz and Westermarck
Part 4: Evolutionary Psychology of Morality: Critical Perspectives
13. Critical Perspectives on Evolutionary Psychology and Morality
14. Why Altruism May Not be the Right Concept for Understanding Morality
15. Westermarck, Sympathy and Natural Selection
16. Darwinian Conservatives and Westermarck's Ethics: A Political Dimension of the Late 20th Century Westermarckian Renaissance