Human Flourishing: Volume 16, Part 1

Studies human flourishing, its place in moral theory, and the influence of ancient theorists on contemporary philosophers.

Ellen Frankel Paul (Edited by), Fred D. Miller (Edited by), Jeffrey Paul (Edited by)

9780521644716, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 January 1999

392 pages
22.9 x 2.2 x 15.2 cm, 0.57 kg

The essays in this volume examine the nature of human flourishing and its relationship to a variety of other key concepts in moral theory. Some of them trace the link between flourishing and human nature, asking whether a theory of human nature can allow us to develop an objective list of goods that are of value to all agents, regardless of their individual purposes or aims. Some essays look at the role of friendships or parent-child relationships in a good life, or seek to determine whether an ethical theory based on human flourishing can accommodate concern for others for their own sake. Other essays analyze the function of families or other social-political institutions in promoting the flourishing of individuals. Still others explore the implications of flourishing for political theory, asking whether considerations of human flourishing can help us to derive principles of social justice.

1. Human flourishing and the appeal to human nature Douglas B. Rasmussen
2. The three faces of flourishing Thomas Hurka
3. Flourishing egoism Lester H. Hunt
4. The idea of a life plan Charles Larmore
5. Human flourishing versus desire satisfaction Richard J. Arneson
6. Happiness and human flourishing in Kant's Ethics Thomas E. Hill Jr
7. Valuing activity Stephen Darwall
8. Ancient perfectionism and its modern critics Georgios Anagnostopoulos
9. Aristotle's elusive Summum Bonum Sarah Broadie
10. Eudaimonism, love and friendship, and political community David O. Brink
11. No families, no freedom: human flourishing in a free society Jennifer Roback Morse
12. Politics, neutrality, and the good Richard Kraut
13. Human flourishing and universal justice Thomas W. Pogge.

Subject Areas: Sociology: family & relationships [JHBK], Ethics & moral philosophy [HPQ]