The freedom paradox : towards a post-secular ethics

In this book, Hamilton forms a radical reconsideration of the meaning of freedom in the modern world, and a proposal for what he calls a "post-secular ethics"—an ethics to supercede the mores of the post-1968 Western world. Despite all of the personal and political freedoms we now enjoy in the West, Clive argues that our "inner freedom," our very human capacity for considered will and the very ethical basis of our society, has been compromised by our relentless focus on impulse and immediate gratification. Drawing on the great metaphysical philosophers Kant and Schopenhauer, Hamilton develops a new theory of morality for our times. He argues that true inner freedom and acting according to moral law are one and the same, and essential to reaching psychological maturity. Allen & Unwin Front Cover 1 Part Title 2 Title Page 3 Copyright 4 Contents 5 Acknowledgments 8 Preface 10 PART ONE: Freedom reconsidered 14 1 The disappointment of liberalism 15 2 Rationale 18 3 Types of happiness 22 4 Freedom and happiness 27 5 Types of liberty 31 6 Inner freedom 37 7 Do we prefer what we choose? 41 8 Self-deception and akrasia 46 9 A digression on the ethic of consent 53 10 Exercising inner freedom 57 11 Subtle coercion 62 12 The decline of free will 66 13 From political philosophy to metaphysics 70 PART TWO: Philosophical foundations 72 14 The need for metaphysics 73 15 Consciousness and the subject 78 16 Phenomenon and noumenon 83 17 The 'legislation for nature' 87 18 Scientific thinking 93 19 Knowing and being 98 20 Instances of non-sensible intuition 101 21 The noumenon and the Self 107 22 A digression on the existence of God 113 23 On death 118 PART THREE: Towards a post-secular ethics 124 24 Modern moral anxiety 125 25 Moral relativism 130 26 Reconstructing a moral code 136 27 Rationalist ethics 141 28 Genuine philanthropy 149 29 The moral self 154 30 Emotions as judgments 161 31 Further thoughts 168 32 Avatars of virtue 174 33 Egoism and malice 178 34 Eternal justice 181 PART FOUR: Moral judge or moral adviser? 185 35 Becoming good 186 36 The theory in practice 193 37 Suicide 198 38 Sex 203 39 Nature 217 PART FIVE: Freedom rediscovered 222 40 The ground of inner freedom 223 41 Finding inner freedom 229 42 The individual and the collective 234 43 Aesthetics 237 44 Happiness reconsidered 245 45 The human condition 250 Notes 254 Index 273 ISBN-13:,9781741755077 ISBN-13: 9781741755077 A radical reconsideration of the meaning of freedom and morality in the modern world.Why is it so many of us lack contentment, despite all the wealth and freedoms we enjoy? The past two centuries delivered individual and political freedoms that promised unprecedented opportunities for personal fulfilment. Yet citizens of affluent countries are encouraged to pursue lives of consumerism, endless choice and the pleasures of the body.Clive Hamilton argues that the paradox of modern consumer life is that we are deprived of our inner freedom by our very pursuit of our own desires. He turns to metaphysics to find a source of transformation that lies beyond the cultural, political and social philosophies that form the bedrock of contemporary western thought. His search takes him to an unexpected conclusion: that we cannot be truly free unless we commit ourselves to a moral life. The implications of this conclusion are profound, and they challenge many deeply held beliefs in modern secular society.The Freedom Paradox is a bold and important work that goes to the heart of what it means to be human. "Why is it so many of us lack contentment, despite all the wealth and freedoms we enjoy? The past two centuries delivered individual and political freedoms that promised unprecedented opportunities for personal fulfilment. Yet citizens of affluent countries are encouraged to pursue lives of consumerism, endless choice and the pleasures of the body. The paradox of modern consumer life is that we are deprived of our inner freedom by our very pursuit of our own desires. The author turns to metaphysics to find a source of transformation that lies beyond the cultural, political and social philosophies that form the bedrock of contemporary western thought. His search takes him to an unexpected conclusion: that we cannot be truly free unless we commit ourselves to a moral life"--Provided by publisher.