Divine Motivation TheoryWidely regarded as one of the foremost figures in contemporary philosophy of religion, Linda Zagzebski has written a new book that will be seen as a major contribution to ethical theory and theological ethics. At the core of the book lies a new form of virtue theory based on the emotions. Quite distinct from deontological, consequentialist and teleological virtue theories, this one has a particular theological, indeed Christian, foundation. The new theory helps to resolve philosophical problems and puzzles of various kinds: the dispute between cognitivism and non-cognitivism in moral psychology, the claims and counterclaims of realism and anti-realism in the metaphysics of value, and paradoxes of perfect goodness in natural theology, including the problem of evil. As with Zagzebski's previous Cambridge book Virtues of the Mind, this new book will be sought out eagerly by a broad swathe of professionals and graduate students in philosophy and religious studies. |
Contents
Motivationbased virtue ethics | 1 |
Making emotion primary | 51 |
Goods and virtues | 96 |
Acts and obligation | 137 |
Divine Motivation theory | 185 |
The moral importance of the Incarnation | 228 |
The paradoxes of perfect goodness | 271 |
The problem of evil | 304 |
Ethical pluralism | 345 |
Bibliography | 389 |
| 405 | |
Common terms and phrases
Adams affairs agent Aquinas argued Aristotle basic Chapter Christ Christian Christine Korsgaard circumstances cognitive compassion conflict created cultures defined degree derived descriptive desire dispositions distinction Divine Command theory Divine Motivation theory DM theory emotion epistemic ethical theory eudaimonia evaluative exemplars existence explain express fact feeling free will defense God's motives human persons idea ideal observer Ideal Observer theory identify imitatio Dei imitation important incommunicability intentional object intrinsic value Irenaeus Jesus Kant kind Korsgaard means metaphysical metaphysics of value moral judgment moral properties motivation-based virtue theory nature obligation omnipotence outcome particular perceive perfect perfectly personhood perspective philosophers phronesis phronimos pitiful position possible problem of evil propose rational reason reference relation response sense situation suffering theodicy theology thesis thick concepts thick properties thing tion traits true belief virtue ethics virtue theory virtuous person wrong