T. h. green's moral and political philosophy : a phenomenological perspective

Preface xi xi research, revising and improving the original thesis by taking into account many comments and suggestions from specialists in British idealism and in political theory more generally before this book was completed. The two people who have helped me most, and who have been there for me throughout this time, are Peter Nicholson, my DPhil supervisor, and Richard Cookson, my husband. Peter is a brilliant scholar as well as a caring and attentive supervisor. He has gone through the greatest number of drafts, always giving me prompt and constructive feedback. My discussions with him and my reading of his own work have improved my understanding of Green and have taught me how to think and how to structure my work. Richard's help with my work has been academic as well as personal. He has read many drafts of the chapters, encouraging me to express my thoughts more clearly, and indeed, in better English. He has been my role model and my best friend. It is impossible to express how indebted I am to him. Most of the revisions of the original thesis are based on the detailed and penetrating comments of my external examiner, Andrew Vincent. He has given me advice and has commented on more recent revisions of the different chapters. I also owe special thanks for the feedback I have received from Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 7 List of Abbreviations......Page 10 Preface......Page 11 Introduction......Page 14 1. Green's view of the method of moral philosophy......Page 18 2. Husserl's critique of the sciences......Page 22 3. Linking the phenomenological reduction to a theory of human practice......Page 28 4. Applying the phenomenological reduction to moral philosophy......Page 33 1 Green's Transcendental Theory of Human Practice......Page 35 1.1 Defining the term 'transcendental'......Page 36 1.2 Green's metaphysics of knowledge......Page 39 1.3 Hume's discovery of the 'world of spirit'......Page 44 1.4 The spiritual principle that underpins human practice, or Green's theory of the will......Page 52 1.5 Why Green's principle is in fact a transcendental rule......Page 57 1.6 Applications of Green's transcendental rule......Page 60 1.7 The difference between transcendentalism and spiritual determinism......Page 63 2 Green's Phenomenological Moral Theory......Page 67 2.1 Similarities between Green and the utilitarians......Page 69 2.2 The difference between the pursuit of pleasure and the pursuit of the moral good......Page 73 2.3 The moral ideal as the perfection of man......Page 76 2.4 The phenomenological circle......Page 79 2.5 The change of perspective......Page 82 2.6 Between deontology and consequentialism......Page 84 2.7 Is it the individual or her perfection that is an end in itself?......Page 86 2.8 Moral vulnerability and negative morality......Page 88 2.9 Conclusion......Page 90 3 Green's Theory of the Common Good......Page 92 3.1 Outlining the two perspectives in defining the common good......Page 94 3.2 The common good as personal moral growth......Page 96 3.3 The salvation argument: criticisms and defence......Page 98 3.4 The unique position of the self......Page 103 3.5 The loss of the concept of the ordinary good......Page 108 3.6 The common good in the second sense: as a society of equals......Page 111 3.7 Conclusion......Page 113 4 Positive and Negative Freedom: Green's Contribution to the Debate......Page 116 4.1 Juristic freedom and moral freedom......Page 119 4.2 Positive freedom and negative freedom......Page 126 4.3 Which freedom is more important?......Page 135 4.4 Conclusion......Page 138 5 Rights in Green's Political Theory: Universal or Historical?......Page 140 5.1 The concept of social recognition......Page 143 5.2 Practical social recognition......Page 144 5.3 Metaphysical social recognition......Page 148 5.4 Green's theories of human agency and morality: need as a sufficient justification of rights......Page 151 5.5 Rights as an expression of negative freedom: negative and positive morality......Page 154 5.6 Rights – universal or historical?......Page 156 5.7 Conclusion: reconciling the two lines of thought in Green's philosophy......Page 157 Conclusion......Page 160 Notes......Page 162 Bibliography......Page 178 G......Page 184 P......Page 185 W......Page 186 Machine generated contents note: Introduction 1. Green's view of the method of moral philosophy 2. Husserl's critique of the sciences 3. Linking the phenomenological reduction to a theory of human practice 4. Applying the phenomenological reduction to moral philosophy 1 Green's Transcendental Theory of Human Practice 1.1 Defining the term 'transcendental' 1.2 Green's metaphysics of knowledge 1.3 Hume's discovery of the 'world of spirit' 1.4 The spiritual principle that underpins human practice, or Green's theory of the will 1.5 Why Green's principle is in fact a transcendental rule 1.6 Applications of Green's transcendental rule 1.7 The difference between transcendentalism and spiritual determinism 2 Green's Phenomenological Moral Theory 2.1 Similarities between Green and the utilitarians 2.2 The difference between the pursuit of pleasure and the pursuit of the moral good 2.3 The moral ideal as the perfection of man 2.4 The phenomenological circle 2.5 The change of perspective 2.6 Between deontology and consequentialism 2.7 Is it the individual or her perfection that is an end in itself? vii 2.8 Moral vulnerability and negative morality 2.9 Conclusion 3 Green's Theory of the Common Good 3.1 Outlining the two perspectives in defining the common good 3.2 The common good as personal moral growth 3.3 The salvation argument: criticisms and defence 3.4 The unique position of the self 3.5 The loss of the concept of the ordinary good 3.6 The common good in the second sense: as a society of equals 3.7 Conclusion 4 Positive and Negative Freedom: Green's Contribution to the Debate 4.1 Juristic freedom and moral freedom 4.2 Positive freedom and negative freedom 4.3 Which freedom is more important? 4.4 Conclusion 5 Rights in Green's Political Theory: Universal or Historical? 5.1 The concept of social recognition 5.2 Practical social recognition 5.3 Metaphysical social recognition 5.4 Green's theories of human agency and morality: need as a sufficient justification of rights 5.5 Rights as an expression of negative freedom: negative and positive morality 5.6 Rights - universal or historical? 5.7 Conclusion: reconciling the two lines of thought in Green's philosophy Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index. This Book Offers A New, Phenomenological Interpretation Of T.h. Green's (1836-82) Ethics And Political Theory And Thus Sheds A Different Light On Green's Position In The History Of Philosophy And Political Thought. By Analysing In Turn His Theories Of Knowledge, Human Practice, Moral Behaviour, The Common Good, Freedom And Human Rights, The Book Demonstrates That Green Falls Into The Same Tradition As Kantian And Husserlian Trancendentalism And Allies Green's Moral Philosophy With The Insights Of Husserl's Phenomenology. One Of The Central Philosophical Themes Is That Of The 'phenomenological Circle': The Inevitability Of Employing Two Perspectives In Defining Moral Action. The Book Offers A Reconstruction Of Green's Idealism And Demonstrates Its Potential To Address Contemporary Debates On Positive And Negative Freedom And On Justifying Human Rights.--jacket. 1. Green's Transcendental Theory Of Human Practice. 1.1. Defining The Term 'transcendental'. 1.2. Green's Metaphysics Of Knowledge. 1.3. Hume's Discovery Of The 'world Of Spirit'. 1.4. The Spiritual Principle That Underpins Human Practice, Or Green's Theory Of The Will. 1.5. Why Green's Principle Is In Fact A Transcendental Rule. 1.6. Applications Of Green's Transcendental Rule. 1.7. The Difference Between Transcendentalism And Spiritual Determinism -- 2. Green's Phenomenological Moral Theory. 2.1. Similarities Between Green And The Utilitarians. 2.2. The Difference Between The Pursuit Of Pleasure And The Pursuit Of The Moral Good. 2.3. The Moral Ideal As The Perfection Of Man. 2.4. The Phenomenological Circle. Maria Dimova-cookson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "This book offers a new, phenomenological interpretation of T. H. Green's (1836-82) ethics and political theory and thus sheds a different light on Green's position in the history of philosophy and political thought. By analysing in turn his theories of knowledge, human practice, moral behaviour, the common good, freedom and human rights, the book demonstrates that Green falls into the same tradition as Kantian and Husserlian trancendentalism and allies Green's moral philosophy with the insights of Husserl's phenomenology. One of the central philosophical themes is that of the 'phenomenological circle': the inevitability of employing two perspectives in defining moral action. The book offers a reconstruction of Green's idealism and demonstrates its potential to address contemporary debates on positive and negative freedom and on justifying human rights."--BOOK JACKET. This book offers a new phenomenological, interpretation of T.H. Green's (1836-1882) philosophy and political theory. By analysing in turn his theory of human practice, the moral idea, the common good, freedom and human rights, the book demonstrates that Green falls into the same tradition as Kantian and Husserlian transcendentalism. The book offers a reconstruction of Green's idealism and demonstrates its potential to address contemporary debates on the nature of moral agency, positive and negative freedom and on justifying human rights. This book offers a new phenomenological interpretation of T.H. Green's (1836-1882) philosophy and political theory. By analyzing his theory of human practice, the moral idea, the common good, freedom and human rights, the book demonstrates that Green joins the same tradition as Kantian and Husserlian transcendentalism. The book offers a reconstruction of Green's idealism and demonstrates its potential to address contemporary debates on the nature of moral agency, positive and negative freedom and on justifying human rights. This text offers a phenomenological, interpretation of T.H. Green's (1836-1882) philosophy and political theory. It analyzes his theory of human practice, the moral idea, the common good, freedom and human rights. The book offers a reconstruction of Green's idealism