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9781793608857

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The 20th and 21st centuries have seen a rising interest in virtue theory. G. E. M. Anscombe, Alasdair MacIntyre, Philippa Foot, Julia Annas, and others sought to recover Aristotelian virtue ethics to offer a credible alternative to regnant utilitarian and deontological ethical theories. Silverman’s The Supremacy of Love continues this trajectory. Silverman (Christopher Newport Univ.), who is also author of The Prudence of Love, seeks to supplement the recovery of Aristotelian virtue ethics with a secular account of love inspired by St. Thomas Aquinas. This purpose occupies the first half of the book, which offers an exposition of virtue, love, and love-centered virtue ethics. In the second half of the book Silverman claims that this love-centered virtue ethic solves ongoing debates in philosophy concerning action guidance, impartiality, the unity of the virtues, cultural relativism, and the is/ought problem. Given its intellectual acumen, irenic character, and deep recovery of virtue ethics, this book is an important contribution to ethical theory even if one has strong doubts about the intellectual possibility of separating a Thomistic account of love from broader commitments about God and metaphysics. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. * CHOICE *

The 20th and 21st centuries have seen a rising interest in virtue theory. G. E. M. Anscombe, Alasdair MacIntyre, Philippa Foot, Julia Annas, and others sought to recover Aristotelian virtue ethics to offer a credible alternative to regnant utilitarian and deontological ethical theories. Silverman's The Supremacy of Love continues this trajectory. Silverman (Christopher Newport Univ.), who is also author of The Prudence of Love, seeks to supplement the recovery of Aristotelian virtue ethics with a secular account of love inspired by St. Thomas Aquinas. This purpose occupies the first half of the book, which offers an exposition of virtue, love, and love-centered virtue ethics. In the second half of the book Silverman claims that this love-centered virtue ethic solves ongoing debates in philosophy concerning action guidance, impartiality, the unity of the virtues, cultural relativism, and the is/ought problem. Given its intellectual acumen, irenic character, and deep recovery of virtue ethics, this book is an important contribution to ethical theory even if one has strong doubts about the intellectual possibility of separating a Thomistic account of love from broader commitments about God and metaphysics. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. * CHOICE *

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Eric J. Silverman is associate professor of philosophy at Christopher Newport University.

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