Ethics, Evil, and Fiction

Author:   Colin McGinn (Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
ISBN:  

9780198237167


Pages:   196
Publication Date:   03 July 1997
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
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Ethics, Evil, and Fiction


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Overview

Ethics, Evil, and Fiction brings together moral philosophy and literary analysis in a way that offers original new insights for both. Its central aim is to enrich the domain of moral reflection, by showing the value of literary texts as sources of moral illumination. Colin McGinn starts by setting out an uncompromisingly realist ethical theory, arguing that morality is an area of objective truth and genuine knowledge. He goes on to address such subjects as the nature of goodness, evil character, and the meaning of monstrosity, in the context of an aesthetic theory of virtue, which maintains that goodness of character is the same thing as beauty of soul. Works discussed include Billy Budd, Lolita, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Frankenstein; and McGinn draws upon examples from film and painting as well as literature. The originality of his approach, the clarity and forthrightness of his writing, and his conviction that fiction and philosophy have much enlightenment to offer each other, make this a compelling and fascinating book.

Full Product Details

Author:   Colin McGinn (Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Imprint:   Clarendon Press
Dimensions:   Width: 14.70cm , Height: 1.60cm , Length: 22.40cm
Weight:   0.377kg
ISBN:  

9780198237167


ISBN 10:   0198237162
Pages:   196
Publication Date:   03 July 1997
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

1: Introduction: The Scope of Moral Philosophy 2: Goodness 3: Knowledge of Goodness 4: The Evil Character 5: Beauty of Soul 6: The Picture: Dorian Gray 7: Who Is Frankenstein's Monster? 8: Conclusion: Stories and Morals

Reviews

this engagingly written book. Connie S Rosati, Philosophy 71. I really enjoyed his literary-ethical exploration of Frankenstein and Dorian Gray. These portions of the book contain much that should interest those seeking more effective ways of teaching moral philosophy. Connie S Rosati, Philosophy, 71. an interesting but eccentric book ... I have gone on at length about the aesthetic theory of virtue because, for me, it is one of the book's most arresting claims. If this is the kind of provocative thesis that you enjoy, then Ethics, Evil, and fiction, despite (or maybe because of) its quirks, is worth reading. Nancy E. Snow, International Philosophical Quarterly A book which I hope will start a new fashion ... it has all the qualities modern philosophical writing tends to lack. I found it substantial, absorbing and relevant. Times Higher Education Supplement Evocative and thought-provoking. Times Literary Supplement


Author Information

Colin McGinn is Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. He was previously Wilde Reader in Mental Philosophy at the University of Oxford, and before that Reader in Philosophy at University College London. His books include The Character of Mind (1981; second edition 1997), The Subjective View (1982), Mental Content (1989), The Problem of Consciousness (1991), and Problems in Philosophy (1993).

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