The Morality of Everyday Life: Rediscovering an Ancient Alternative to the Liberal TraditionFleming offers an alternative to enlightened liberalism, where moral and political problems are looked at from an objective point of view and a decision made from a distant perspective that is both rational and universally applied to all comparable cases. He instead places importance on the particular, the local, and moral complexity, advocating a return to premodern traditions for a solution to ethical predicaments. In his view, liberalism and postmodernism ignore the fact that human beings by their very nature refuse to live in a world of abstractions where the attachments of friends, neighbors, family, and country make no difference. Fleming believes that a modern type of "casuistry" should be applied to moral conflicts, using examples from history, literature, and religion to explain this moral ecology that refuses to divorce organisms from their interactions with each other and with their environment. |
From inside the book
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Page 2
... means (if that is what you want), but not out of any misguided desire for revenge for a dead father or resentment ... mean justice.) Vengeance played a central role in Germanic systems of justice, and although the Normans attempted to ...
... means (if that is what you want), but not out of any misguided desire for revenge for a dead father or resentment ... mean justice.) Vengeance played a central role in Germanic systems of justice, and although the Normans attempted to ...
Page 10
... means to a good end does not make it less immoral. Catholic casuistry had its classical moment in the eighteenth century, when rigorist Jansenists contended against what they regarded as the moral laxity of the Jesuits. The compromise ...
... means to a good end does not make it less immoral. Catholic casuistry had its classical moment in the eighteenth century, when rigorist Jansenists contended against what they regarded as the moral laxity of the Jesuits. The compromise ...
Page 14
... means for equalizing opportunity. Both lines of argument lead to an absurd conclusion—either to an insistence upon sacrificing all personal interests for the sake of the common good or to complete moral indifference to other people ...
... means for equalizing opportunity. Both lines of argument lead to an absurd conclusion—either to an insistence upon sacrificing all personal interests for the sake of the common good or to complete moral indifference to other people ...
Page 16
... means of tacking my way not, God knows, to certitude, but toward something like common sense and traditional wisdom. Ordinary people seem to need a nontechnical casuistry that accords the real problems of everyday life the serious ...
... means of tacking my way not, God knows, to certitude, but toward something like common sense and traditional wisdom. Ordinary people seem to need a nontechnical casuistry that accords the real problems of everyday life the serious ...
Page 28
... means suicide.Partly because of the difficulties involved in determining what is a reasonable risk, Anglo-American law has traditionally attached few penalties to the failure to help. The classic statement on this subject was made by ...
... means suicide.Partly because of the difficulties involved in determining what is a reasonable risk, Anglo-American law has traditionally attached few penalties to the failure to help. The classic statement on this subject was made by ...
Contents
1 | |
18 | |
42 | |
Too Much Reality | 69 |
Growing Up Unabsurd | 94 |
Problems of Perspective | 135 |
The Myth of Individualism | 167 |
Goodbye Old Rights of Man | 194 |
Bibliography | 235 |
Index | 251 |
Other editions - View all
The Morality of Everyday Life: Rediscovering an Ancient Alternative to the ... Thomas Fleming No preview available - 2004 |
The Morality of Everyday Life: Rediscovering an Ancient Alternative to the ... Thomas Fleming No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
abstract American ancient argued argument Aristotle attachment authority become beginning believe better century charity child Christian Church citizens civil claims common concept cultural death decisions depends different duty early entire equal ethical example exist fact father feel first French friends give global Greek human ideal identity individual interests Italy John justice killed language later learned least less liberal liberty live loyalty matter means mind moral nationalist natural never object obligation once parents patriotism person perspective philosophers political poor practical Press principle problem question reason regard religion religious require responsibility Roman rules seems sense social society story strangers Studies tell theory things thought tion tradition turn United universal virtue women young