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Could you recommend me books about Ethics?

javi2541997 July 08, 2021 at 07:24 6825 views 31 comments
Hello there,

I am looking about to read some academic books about Ethics. I am currently so interested in this topic so I wonder if you can recommend to me some worthy books about.
I already purchased theories of ethics by Philippa Foot. Do you know a book similar in a academic perspective?

Best regards and wishes,

Comments (31)

Wayfarer July 08, 2021 at 07:40 #563101
Reply to javi2541997 I think one of the influential academic books on virtue ethics is After Virtue by Alistair McIntyre. Plenty of information about that book on the internet.
javi2541997 July 08, 2021 at 07:50 #563103
Reply to Wayfarer

Thank you so much for your recommendation. I going to check out more deeply about it and try to buy it.
180 Proof July 08, 2021 at 08:39 #563112
These works of moral philosophy reward close
rereading ...

Natural Goodness, Philippa Foot
Morality and Conflict, Stuart Hamphire
The Therapy of Desire, Martha Nussbaum
javi2541997 July 08, 2021 at 09:38 #563157
Reply to 180 Proof

Thank you for these recommendations.:up:

Natural Goodness, Philippa Foot


Interesting how Philippa Foot was so specialist in Ethics. I see her name everywhere when this topic is related.

TheMadFool July 08, 2021 at 14:35 #563246
Reply to javi2541997 First port of call - find out if we have free will!
gloaming July 08, 2021 at 15:31 #563274
Ethics, Discovering Right And Wrong; Pojman L.P. & Fiesler J. (Wadsworth CENGAGE Learning), any late edition. It's a very good introduction to the subject.
180 Proof July 08, 2021 at 15:33 #563275
Reply to TheMadFool Epicurus, Spinoza, Nietzsche, et al say we don't. Read On The Nature of Things (Lucretius), The Ethics and On The Geneaology of Morals. :smirk:
bert1 July 08, 2021 at 15:35 #563276
Don't whatever you do read Spinoza's Ethics. It has no ethics in it.
180 Proof July 08, 2021 at 15:42 #563278
Manuel July 08, 2021 at 15:50 #563282
Reply to bert1

Yeah, that's pretty funny.

Weird names for books, back in the day.
TheMadFool July 08, 2021 at 15:53 #563286
Quoting 180 Proof
Epicurus, Spinoza, Nietzsche, et al say we don't. Read On The Nature of Things (Lucretius), The Ethics and On The Geneaology of Morals.


How unfortunate for the good - they don't get credit - and how fortunate for the bad - they're blameless. Most people would be jumping with joy then and thereby hangs a very sad tale!
Manuel July 08, 2021 at 15:58 #563292
I'm not much interested in ethics philosophically, with a few exceptions when it comes to our intuitions of right and wrong.

I suppose my exception would be Bertrand Russell. He has a bunch of stuff on ethics pertaining to all kinds of problems. One book would be The Conquest of Happiness.

In terms of essays, I think his In Praise of Idleness is quite interesting and on point. In short, almost any book or essay by him on this topic is worth skimming at least.
javi2541997 July 08, 2021 at 16:11 #563297
Quoting Manuel
essays, I think his In Praise of Idleness


Thank you for this recommendation because I was looking exactly of something like an essay. I going to check it out and see what holds. :up:
javi2541997 July 08, 2021 at 16:12 #563298
Quoting bert1
Don't whatever you do read Spinoza's Ethics. It has no ethics in it.


I don't like any of Spinoza's works. He is not a philosopher or thinker to trust about :rofl:
javi2541997 July 08, 2021 at 16:13 #563299
Reply to gloaming :up: :fire: Thanks
Fooloso4 July 08, 2021 at 16:30 #563306
Quoting bert1
Don't whatever you do read Spinoza's Ethics. It has no ethics in it.


Rather than dismiss one of the greatest works of philosophy, it would be more sensible and modest to ask the question of why a book titled "Ethics" seems not to be about ethics. Rather and assume the text is wanting, perhaps it is your own understand of the text that is wanting.

Spinoza's signet ring was engraved with the word "Caute". This motto informed his writing and so should inform our reading of him.
gloaming July 08, 2021 at 16:36 #563309
Reply to javi2541997 "I don't like any of Spinoza's works. He is not a philosopher or thinker to trust about"

Russell, himself, mentioned Spinoza specifically, opining that Spinoza was among the most human of philosophers. You can find that statement in 'A History of Western Philosophy" by Russell.
Amalac July 08, 2021 at 16:49 #563319
Quoting Manuel
I suppose my exception would be Bertrand Russell. He has a bunch of stuff on ethics pertaining to all kinds of problems. One book would be The Conquest of Happiness.


That's a great book indeed.

I would also recommend:

Aristotle: Nichomachean Ethics.

Sextus: Against the Ethicists.

Hume: An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals.

Wittgenstein: A Lecture on Ethics

Moore: Principia Ethica.



Manuel July 08, 2021 at 16:57 #563323
Reply to Amalac

:up:

It's just not my personal area of interest, though I do for example think that Hume's talk about ethics is interesting. Aristotle, from what I can remember, aims for a standard that is very high to be used consistently.

As for the rest, I can't say. But they must have insightful things to say.
javi2541997 July 08, 2021 at 17:47 #563334
Quoting Amalac
Aristotle: Nichomachean Ethics.


I read it three years ago and it is one of the best philosophy books I ever read :up:
180 Proof July 08, 2021 at 18:19 #563340
bert1 July 08, 2021 at 20:58 #563435
Quoting Fooloso4
Rather than dismiss one of the greatest works of philosophy, it would be more sensible and modest to ask the question of why a book titled "Ethics" seems not to be about ethics. Rather and assume the text is wanting, perhaps it is your own understand of the text that is wanting.


There may be truckloads of inspiring ethics, cautiously and diligently arrived at by means of his painstaking philosophical method. However as they are likely to be expounded near the conclusion of the book, and no one (sane) has read that far, they remain obscure. It would be a rash gamble to invest the decades it would take to find out.
Fooloso4 July 08, 2021 at 23:34 #563574
Reply to bert1

It is a difficult book and not one I would recommend to someone looking for general works on ethics, but to say it has no ethics in it is wrong. Although challenging it is certainly manageable.
Valentinus July 09, 2021 at 00:44 #563620
Reply to bert1
Spinoza is not obscure. The part about God not being involved in your personal business comes early and fast.
It seems that any Ethics has to be a response to what one thinks is happening, some kind of generalized expectation of the future.
bert1 July 09, 2021 at 08:12 #563811
Reply to Valentinus Reply to Fooloso4 I'm sure you're both right. My objection is to philosophical literature generally, I was just picking on Spinoza for fun. Philosophy is usually painful to read, at least for me. Hume and Berkeley are exceptions perhaps.

Talking of Hume, his ethical writings are really good. Simple and insightful. Forget what it's called now. I'll recommend that to the op when I remember what it is.
TheMadFool July 09, 2021 at 11:40 #563878
Christian take on morality:

Fall Of Man

[quote=Wikipedia]The fall of man, the fall of Adam, or simply the Fall, is a term used in Christianity to describe the transition of the first man and woman from a state of INNOCENT obedience to God to a state of guilty [b]DISOBEDIENCE.[/quote]

Innocence

[quote=Wikipedia]A "loss of innocence" is a common theme in fiction, pop culture, and realism. It is often seen as an integral part of coming of age. It is usually thought of as an experience or period in a person's life that leads to a greater awareness of evil, pain and/or suffering in the world around them.[/quote]

[quote=Wikipedia]People who lack the mental capacity to understand the nature of their acts may be regarded as innocent regardless of their behavior.[/quote]

Four possibilities in re knowledge of good and evil (morality) and free will (saying NO = DISOBEDIENCE) :point: What Is Moral? & :point: What Is Moral (disobedience)

1. Know morality, yes free will (Ate the apple; good & bad apply)
2. Know morality, no free will (good & bad don't apply)
3. Doesn't know morality, yes free will (Didn't eat the apple; innocence = good)
4. Doesn't know morality, no free will (good & bad don't apply)

The only way to be always good is to be innocent (3) but that means you should have zero knowledge of ethics/morality.

Hence, here are my recommendations for good books on ethics/morality (from a Christian point of view):

1. A record of the statesmanship and political achievements of Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock, regular Democratic nominee for president of the United States (1880).

2. Political Achievements of the Earl of Dalkeith (1880).

3. What Every Man Thinks About Apart from Sex.

4. Everything Obama Knows About The Economy.

5. Fifty Shades of Gray.

6. Why Dogs are Better than Cats.

7. The Wit and Wisdom of Nigel Farage.

8. Surprising Reasons to Believe Trump Will Be a Great President!

9. Why Trump Deserves Trust, Respect and Admiration. 

10. Reasons To Vote For Democrats.

Basically, the best book on ethics is An Empty Book

javi2541997 July 09, 2021 at 17:55 #564006
Quoting TheMadFool
What Every Man Thinks About Apart from Sex.


This title makes me feel so interested in the book right now. I don't know why but I guess I thought literally this for years. Fortunately, I am one of those weird "freaks" who loves think or speak about everything except/apart sex.
javi2541997 July 09, 2021 at 17:56 #564008
Quoting TheMadFool
Basically, the best book on ethics is An Empty Book


Keep it in my next book list too :up:
TheMadFool July 09, 2021 at 18:58 #564034
Quoting javi2541997
This title makes me feel so interested in the book right now. I don't know why but I guess I thought literally this for years. Fortunately, I am one of those weird "freaks" who loves think or speak about everything except/apart sex.


Like I think women say to each other, "Men have only two things on their mind, sex and no sex."
180 Proof July 09, 2021 at 19:04 #564038
TheMadFool July 09, 2021 at 19:06 #564040