On Virtue Ethics

by Hursthouse, Rosalind

• ISBN13: 9780199247998
• ISBN10: 0199247994
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-02-07
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Virtue ethics is perhaps the most important development within late twentieth-century moral philosophy. Rosalind Hursthouse, who has made notable contributions to this development, now presents a full exposition and defence of her neo-Aristotelian version of virtue ethics. She shows how virtueethics can provide guidance for action, illuminate moral dilemmas, and bring out the moral significance of the emotions. Deliberately avoiding a combative stance, she finds less disagreement between Kantian and neo-Aristotelian approaches than is usual, and she offers the first account from a virtueethics perspective of acting 'from a sense of duty'. She considers the question which character traits are virtues, and explores how answers to this question can be justified by appeal to facts about human nature. Written in a clear, engaging style which makes it accessible to non-specialists, OnVirtue Ethics will appeal to anyone with an interest in moral philosophy.

Author Biography

Rosalind Hursthouse is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the Open University.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(24)
PART I. ACTION
Right Action	25	(18)
Resolvable Dilemmas	43	(20)
Irresolvable and Tragic Dilemmas	63	(28)
PART II. EMOTION AND MOTIVATION
Aristotle and Kant	91	(17)
Virtue and the Emotions	108	(13)
The Virtuous Agent's Reasons for Action	121	(20)
Moral Motivation	141	(22)
PART III. RATIONALITY
The Virtues Benefit their Possessor	163	(29)
Naturalism	192	(25)
Naturalism for Rational Animals	217	(22)
Objectivity	239	(28)
Bibliography	267	(6)
Index	273