How shall we fix the content of particularism? If anyone has earned the right to fix it it must be Jonathan Dancy . . . who has certainly, by his writings in the area over more than twenty years, given the term common currency in ethics. His rich and subtle new book . . . is a hugely rewarding and interesting read, at the cutting edge of contemporary debate in the area: truly a book that cannot be ignored. For my own part, I look forward to continuing to enjoy and be instructed by Ethics without Principles for years to come.

Timothy Chappell, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

The book is high-octane philosophy. The structure is clear, the writing elegant, the argument peppered with outlooks into other areas of philosophy. A formidable experience.

TLS

Jonathan Dancy presents a long-awaited exposition and defence of particularism in ethics, a view with which he has been associated for twenty years. He argues that the traditional link between morality and principles, or between being moral and having principles, is little more than a mistake. The possibility of moral thought and judgement does not in any way depend on an adequate supply of principles. Dancy grounds this claim on a form of reasons-holism, holding that what is a reason in one case need not be any reason in another, and maintaining that moral reasons are no different in this respect from others. He puts forward a distinctive form of value-holism to go with the holism of reasons, and he gives a detailed discussion, much needed, of the currently popular topic of 'contributory' reasons. Opposing positions of all sorts are summarized and criticized. Ethics Without Principles is the definitive statement of particularist ethical theory, and will be required reading for all those working on moral philosophy and ethical theory.
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Presents a defence of particularism in ethics, a theory the author had developed. This work gives a controversial claim, that the traditional link between morality and principles, or between being moral and having principles, is more than a mistake. It is a presentation of particularist ethical theory, and is aimed at moral philosophers.
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I. CATCHING THE CONTRIBUTORY ; II. FROM HOLISM TO PARTICULARISM ; III. HOLISM IN THE THEORY OF VALUE
A landmark publication in ethical theory The only book-length defence of particularism in ethics Dancy is the world's most prominent exponent of this theory Detailed discussion of opposing and related positions The author's definitive statement after twenty years of work
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A landmark publication in ethical theory The only book-length defence of particularism in ethics Dancy is the world's most prominent exponent of this theory Detailed discussion of opposing and related positions The author's definitive statement after twenty years of work
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Product details

ISBN
9780199270026
Published
2004
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Weight
511 gr
Height
242 mm
Width
162 mm
Thickness
19 mm
Age
UU, UP, P, 05, 06
Language
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Number of pages
240