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Jonathan Dancy presents a long-awaited exposition and defence of particularism in ethics, a view with which he has been associated for twenty years. He argues that the traditional link between morality and principles, or between being moral and having principles, is little more than a mistake. The possibility of moral thought and judgement does not in any way depend on an adequate supply of principles. Dancy grounds this claim on a form of reasons-holism, holding
that what is a reason in one case need not be any reason in another, and maintaining that moral reasons are no different in this respect from others. He puts forward a distinctive form of value-holism to
go with the holism of reasons, and he gives a detailed discussion, much needed, of the currently popular topic of 'contributory' reasons. Opposing positions of all sorts are summarized and criticized. Ethics Without Principles is the definitive statement of particularist ethical theory, and will be required reading for all those working on moral philosophy and ethical theory.
Jonathan Dancy presents a long-awaited exposition and defence of particularism in ethics, a view with which he has been associated for twenty years. He argues that the traditional link between morality and principles, or between being moral and having principles, is little more than a mistake. The possibility of moral thought and judgement does not in any way depend on an adequate supply of principles. Dancy grounds this claim on a form of reasons-holism, holding
that what is a reason in one case need not be any reason in another, and maintaining that moral reasons are no different in this respect from others. He puts forward a distinctive form of value-holism to
go with the holism of reasons, and he gives a detailed discussion, much needed, of the currently popular topic of 'contributory' reasons. Opposing positions of all sorts are summarized and criticized. Ethics Without Principles is the definitive statement of particularist ethical theory, and will be required reading for all those working on moral philosophy and ethical theory.
1: What are the options?
I. Catching the contributory
2: Contributory reasons
3: Beyond favouring
4: Dropping the catch
II. From holism to particularism
5: Holism and its consequences
6: Can holism be true?
7: Competing pictures
8: Knowing reasons
III. Holism in the theory of value
9: Intrinsic and extrinsic value
10: Are there organic unities?
11: Rationality, value, and meaning
12: Principles of rational valuing
`Review from previous edition How shall we fix the content of
particularism? If anyone has earned the right to fix it it must be
Jonathan Dancy . . . who has certainly, by his writings in the area
over more than twenty years, given the term common currency in
ethics. His rich and subtle new book . . . is a hugely rewarding
and interesting read, at the cutting edge of contemporary debate in
the area: truly a book that cannot be ignored. For my own part,
I
look forward to continuing to enjoy and be instructed by Ethics
without Principles for years to come.'
Timothy Chappell, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
`The book is high-octane philosophy. The structure is clear, the
writing elegant, the argument peppered with outlooks into other
areas of philosophy. A formidable experience.'
Christopher Fehige, Times Literary Supplement
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