The Geography of Morals

Owen Flanagan presents a thorough and well-developed discussion on the subject of moral possibilities in a culturally diverse world. * Catherine Monnet, Philosophical Practice *
The Geography of Morals is an excellent example of multidisciplinary, comparative, cross-cultural moral philosophy in action. I highly recommend it * Owen Flanagan, Reading Religion *
In this extraordinary book, Owen Flanagan does it right. His exploration of our moral lives is informed by both a deep understanding of the science and a rich and critical engagement with philosophical traditions from around the world. Flanagan is lucid, insightful, brave, and often very funny. This is an exciting and transformative book, of great value to anyone interested in moral feelings and moral judgment. * Paul Bloom, Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology, Yale University *
In his readable tour de force the renowned philosopher Owen Flanagan draws our attention to the huge gaps in our understanding of morality in a diverse, interdependent and rapidly globalizing world. Drawing on both moral psychology and comparative moral philosophy allows Flanagan to point to the huge deficits in our public discourse and schooling in morality and ethics. Flanagan's elegant and inclusive intellectual toolkit, drawn from a diverse tableau of lived experiences, enables us to retrieve lived worlds we had ignored as resources for our common good and will undoubtedly spark much needed debate. * Ebrahim Moosa, Professor of Islamic Studies and Religion, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame *
Flanagan offers a compelling and richly textured account of what it means to take human moral diversity seriously. He shows that there is more than one way to lead a good human life and that, whatever the natural, cultural or historical sources of any particular 'way,' it is always possible to have morally enlightening conversations that transcend cultural boundaries. He also reminds us that the best moral inquiry will draw on a variety of sources, including the empirical sciences and the study of history and culture, as well as familiar and unfamiliar traditions of philosophical inquiry. * Michele Moody-Adams, Joseph Straus Professor of Political Philosophy and Legal Theory, Columbia University *
The core thesis of this remarkable book is that in our capacities as moral agents, teachers, and thinkers we need to take equally seriously the diversity of moral thinking around the globe and the recent progress in modern moral psychology. Flanagan argues that cross-cultural philosophy and empirical psychology exhibit important areas of convergence, from which we should learn, and also support broad areas of continued difference, which we should celebrate. * Stephen C. Angle, Professor of Philosophy and East Asian Studies, Wesleyan University *
The book does an excellent job of stretching the acknowledged possibility space of morality. Flanagan convincingly shows that we cannot responsibly conduct ethical inquiry in ignorance of cultural diversity. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *