What is the state of contemporary American morality? From their
original conception in Christian scripture to their assimilation into
Western culture, the 'Seven Deadly Sins' – lust, greed, envy,
pride, and all the rest – have guided human morality, steering human
behavior and psychology away from evil and toward a full embrace of
the good. But their hold on modern life is increasingly tenuous.
Indeed, one may observe that these days, deadly sin is far more common
and more commonly practiced than its virtuous counterparts –
humility, charity, kindness, industriousness, and chastity. Without
greed, there is no economy; without anger, no politics; and without
pride and envy, surely less motivation and competition would exist.
James D. Wright carefully examines the complexities and ambiguities in
modern society in the context of the seven deadly sins and their
corresponding virtues. Are we all lost souls, condemned by our immoral
deeds, or are the trappings of older sin deteriorating? Is it time,
finally, to reconsider the classifications of evil and good? Wright
uses each chapter to consider how the social sciences have
operationalized each 'sin', how they have been studied, and what
lessons have been learned over time. He reviews recent trends and
contemplates the societal costs and benefits of the behaviors in
question. Lost Souls emerges, then, as a meditation on contemporary
sin, concluding that the line between guilt and innocence, right and
wrong, is often very thin.
Les mer
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781351011594
Publisert
2018
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Vendor
Routledge
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter