The book has two aims. First, to examine the extent and
significance of the connection between Hume's aesthetics and his
moral philosophy; and, second, to consider how, in light of the
connection, his moral philosophy answers central questions in
ethics.
The first aim is realized in chapters 1-4. Chapter 1 examines
Hume's essay "Of the Standard of Taste" to understand his search
for a "standard" and how this affects the scope of his aesthetics.
Chapter 2 establishes that he treats beauty in nature and art and
moral beauty as similar in kind, and applies the conclusions about
his aesthetics to his moral thought. Chapter 3 solves a puzzle to
which this gives rise, namely, how individuals both accept general
standards that they also contravene in the course of aesthetic and
moral activity. Chapter 4 takes up the normative aspect of Hume's
approach by understanding moral character through his view of moral
beauty.
The second aim of the book is realized in chapters 5-7 by
entertaining three objections against Hume's moral philosophy.
First, if morality is an immediate reaction to the beauty of vice
and the deformity of virtue, why is perfect virtue not the general
condition of every human individual? Second, if morality consists
of sentiments that arise in the subject, how can moral judgments be
objective and claim universal validity? And third, if one can talk
of "general standards" governing conduct, how does one account for
the diversity of moral systems and their change over time? The
first is answered by showing that like good taste in aesthetics,
'right taste' in morals requires that the sentiments are educated;
the second, by arguing against the view that Hume is a subjectivist
and a relativist, and the third (chapter 6), by showing that his
approach contains a view of progress left untouched by any personal
prejudices Hume himself might harbor. The book concludes in chapter
7 by showing how Hume's view of philosophy affects the scope of any
normative ethics.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
