The Cambridge History of Moral Philosophy

A comprehensive and engaging overview of the history of Western and related moral thought, exploring all the central thinkers and themes.

Essential for philosophy students and teachers alike, this rich but accessible volume brings together internationally renowned scholars to provide an overview of Western moral thought. Driven by cutting-edge research, its fifty-four chapters deliver a clear and detailed analysis of the key schools and thinkers who defined Western moral philosophy.With fifty-four chapters charting the development of moral philosophy in the Western world, this volume examines the key thinkers and texts and their influence on the history of moral thought from the pre-Socratics to the present day. Topics including Epicureanism, humanism, Jewish and Arabic thought, perfectionism, pragmatism, idealism and intuitionism are all explored, as are figures including Aristotle, Boethius, Spinoza, Hobbes, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Mill, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre and Rawls, as well as numerous key ideas and schools of thought. Chapters are written by leading experts in the field, drawing on the latest research to offer rigorous analysis of the canonical figures and movements of this branch of philosophy. The volume provides a comprehensive yet philosophically advanced resource for students and teachers alike as they approach, and refine their understanding of, the central issues in moral thought.