Single Idea 11911

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / d. Ethical theory]

Full Idea

The history of moral theory is largely a history of battles between people who want more (truth, absolutes...) - Plato, Locke, Cudworth, Kant, Nagel - and people content with what we have (nature) - Aristotle, Epicurus, Hobbes, Hume, Stevenson.

Gist of Idea

Some philosophers always want more from morality; for others, nature is enough

Source

Simon Blackburn (Précis of 'Ruling Passions' [2002], p.133)

Book Reference

Mackie,Penelope: 'How Things Might Have Been' [OUP 2006], p.133


A Reaction

[Thanks to Neil Sinclair for this one] As a devotee of Aristotle, I like this. I'm always impressed, though, by people who go the extra mile in morality, because they are in the grips of purer and loftier ideals than I am. They also turn into monsters!