more on this theme | more from this thinker
Full Idea
Love is a central concept in morals. ....[p.30] The central concept of morality is 'the individual' thought of as knowable by love, thought of in the light of the command 'Be ye therefore perfect'.
Gist of Idea
Love is a central concept in morals
Source
Iris Murdoch (The Sovereignty of Good [1970], I)
Book Ref
Murdoch,Iris: 'The Sovereignty of Good' [RKP 1974], p.1
A Reaction
This seems to be a critique of the chillier aspects of utilitarianism and Kantian duty. Love doesn't seem essential to Aristotle's concept of virtue either, and Murdoch's tradition seems to be Christian. I'm undecided about this idea.
Related Idea
Idea 22345 Moral philosophy needs a central concept with all the traditional attributes of God [Murdoch]
| 23563 | Philosophy moves continually between elaborate theories and the obvious facts [Murdoch] |
| 22338 | An unexamined life can be virtuous [Murdoch] |
| 22337 | Philosophy must keep returning to the beginning [Murdoch] |
| 22341 | Literature is the most important aspect of culture, because it teaches understanding of living [Murdoch] |
| 22339 | Love is a central concept in morals [Murdoch] |
| 22343 | If I attend properly I will have no choices [Murdoch] |
| 22340 | It is hard to learn goodness from others, because their virtues are part of their personal history [Murdoch] |
| 22342 | Kantian existentialists care greatly for reasons for action, whereas Surrealists care nothing [Murdoch] |
| 22345 | Moral philosophy needs a central concept with all the traditional attributes of God [Murdoch] |
| 22348 | Ordinary human love is good evidence of transcendent goodness [Murdoch] |
| 22347 | Appreciating beauty in art or nature opens up the good life, by restricting selfishness [Murdoch] |
| 22346 | Moral reflection and experience gradually reveals unity in the moral world [Murdoch] |
| 22351 | Only a philosopher might think choices create values [Murdoch] |
| 22350 | Only trivial virtues can be possessed on their own [Murdoch] |
| 22349 | Art trains us in the love of virtue [Murdoch] |