Rethinking Goodness
Published on 5. July 1990
Book
Paperback/Softback
156 pages
978-0-7914-0300-6 (ISBN)
Description
Arguing that a psychological basis for ethics can be found in human motivation, Rethinking Goodness proposes a naturalistic ethics that transcends the conflict between liberalism and authoritarianism-the conflict between freedom at the price of narcissism and morality at the price of coercion. The authors offer a third option, an ethic broader than liberalism's pursuit of the personal, that avoids jeopardizing, as do authoritarian positions, the centrality of individual autonomy.
Reviews / Votes
"This is a persuasive, scholarly case for the desirability and feasibility of concern for the common good-a fully serious and assessable answer to the 'minimalist' morality decried by culture critics like Lasch and Bloom, that avoids the authoritarian trap, and it offers an example of 'secular humanism' at its best. A psychologically and philosophically imaginative and sound response to the moral and morale disorder of our times." - M. Brewster Smith, University of California at Santa CruzMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Albany, NY
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
US School Grade: College Graduate Student and over
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
Total Illustrations: 0
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
227 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7914-0300-6 (9780791403006)
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
Persons
Michael A. Wallach is Professor of Psychology and Lise Wallach is Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Duke University.
Content
Preface
1. The Minimalist Predicament
The Legacy of Liberalism
Calls to Abridge Autonomy
Another Way
2. Student Voices on Values
Work and Effort
Pairing Off
Living in Society
3. Virtue Desired
Greece before Plato and Aristotle
Plato and Aristotle
Buddha and Confucius
4. The Mystification of Goodness
The Good as God's Commands
The Severing of Virtue from Human Desire
The Philsophers
5. What the Humanist Forgot
The Good on Our Genes
The Insufficiency of Spontaneous Goodness
6. Dealing with Differences
Respect and Relativism
Can Ethical Beliefs Be Justified?
7. Some Thoughts for Feminists, Communitarians, and Moral Educators
Feminism
Community
Moral Education
Notes
Index
1. The Minimalist Predicament
The Legacy of Liberalism
Calls to Abridge Autonomy
Another Way
2. Student Voices on Values
Work and Effort
Pairing Off
Living in Society
3. Virtue Desired
Greece before Plato and Aristotle
Plato and Aristotle
Buddha and Confucius
4. The Mystification of Goodness
The Good as God's Commands
The Severing of Virtue from Human Desire
The Philsophers
5. What the Humanist Forgot
The Good on Our Genes
The Insufficiency of Spontaneous Goodness
6. Dealing with Differences
Respect and Relativism
Can Ethical Beliefs Be Justified?
7. Some Thoughts for Feminists, Communitarians, and Moral Educators
Feminism
Community
Moral Education
Notes
Index