Moral Dilemmas : And Other Topics in Moral Philosophy

Moral Dilemmas is the second volume of collected essays by the eminent moral philosopher Philippa Foot. It fills the gap between her famous 1978 collection Virtues and Vices (now reissued) and her acclaimed monograph Natural Goodness, published in 2001. Moral Dilemmas presents the best of Professor Foot's work from the late 1970s to the 1990s. In these essays she develops further her influential critique of the 'non-cognitivist' approaches that have dominated moral philosophy over the last fifty years. She shows why it is a mistake to think of morality in terms of special psychological states, expressed in special kinds of judgement and a special 'moral' kind of language. Instead she portrays thoughts about the goodness of human will and action as a particular case of the evaluation of other operations of human beings, and indeed of all living things. Among other topics, she discusses the nature of moral judgement, practical rationality, and the conflict of virtue with desire and self-interest. Moral Dilemmas, alongside Professor Foot's other two books, completes the summation of her distinctive and lasting contribution to twentieth-century moral philosophy. Moral Dilemmas Presents The Best Of Professor Foot's Work From The Late 1970s To The 1990s. In These Essays She Develops Further Her Influential Critique Of The 'non-cognitivist' Approaches That Have Dominated Moral Philosophy Over The Last Fifty Years. She Shows Why It Is A Mistake To Think Of Morality In Terms Of Special Psychological States, Expressed In Special Kinds Of Judgement And A Special 'moral' Kind Of Language. Instead She Portrays Thoughts About The Goodness Of Human Will And Action As A Particular Case Of The Evaluation Of Other Operations Of Human Beings, And Indeed Of All Living Things. Among Other Topics, She Discusses Moral Relativism, Utilitarianism, The Nature Of Moral Judgement, And Practical Rationality.--jacket. Morality And Art -- Moral Relativism -- Moral Realism And Moral Dilemma -- Utilitarianism And The Virtues -- Killing And Letting Die -- Morality, Action, And Outcome -- Von Wright On Virtue -- Locke, Hume, And Modern Moral Theory: A Legacy Of Seventeenth- And Eighteenth-century Philosophies Of Mind -- Nietzsche's Immoralism -- Rationality And Virtue -- Moral Dilemmas Revisited -- Does Moral Subjectivism Rest On A Mistake? Philippa Foot. Select Bibliography Of Works By Philippa Foot: P. [209]-212. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Also Available On The Internet To Subscribing Institutions.

Moral Dilemmas is the second volume of collected essays by the eminent moral philosopher Philippa Foot, gathering the best of her work from the late 1970s to the 1990s. It fills the gap between her famous 1978 collection Virtues and Vice (now reissued) and her acclaimed monograph Natural Goodness, published in 2001. In this new collection, Professor Foot develops further her critique of the dominant ethical theories of the last fifty years, and discusses such topics as the nature of moral judgement, practical rationality, and the conflict of virtue with desire and self-interest. Moral Dilemmas, alongside her other two books, completes the summation of her distinctive and lasting contribution to twentieth-century moral philosophy.

Cover Acknowledgements Contents Introduction 1. Morality and Art 2. Moral Relativism 3. Moral Realism and Moral Dilemma 4. Utilitarianism and the Virtues 5. Killing and Letting Die 6. Morality, Action, and Outcome 7. Von Wright on Virtue 8. Locke, Hume, and Modern Moral Theory: A Legacy of Seventeenth- and Eighteenth- Century Philosophies of Mind 9. Nietzsche's Immoralism 10. Rationality and Virtue 11. Moral Dilemmas Revisited 12. Does Moral Subjectivism Rest on a Mistake? Select Bibliography of Works by Philippa Foot Index This volume gathers the best of Foot's work from the late 1970s to the 1990s. In this collection, she develops further her critique of the dominant ethical theories of the last 50 years, discussing such topics as the nature of moral judgement, practical rationality, and the conflict of virtue with desire and self-interest. Moral Dilemmas , alongside her other two books, completes the summation of Foot's contribution to 20th-century moral philosophy. In this collection - essays from the late 1970s to the '90s - Professor Foot develops further her critique of the dominant ethical theories of the second half of the 20th century, including discussion of the nature of moral judgement, practical rationality and the conflict of virtue with desire. This title includes the following features: Foot's strongest essays from two decades of work (late 1970s to the 1990s); Bridges the gap between 1978's Virtues and Vices and 2001's Natural Goodness; Completes the set of Foot's collected works The title of this lecture will, I am afraid, have suggested many fascinating topics about which nothing is to be said.