Evolution, Human Behaviour and Morality: The Legacy of Westermarck (Philosophy and Method in the Social Sciences)

By: Olli Lagerspetz and Jan Antfolk and Ylva Gustafsson and Camilla Kronqvist

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Synopsis: This book highlights the recent re-emergence of Edward Westermarck's work in modern approaches to morality and altruism, examining his importance as one of the founding fathers of anthropology and as a moral relativist, who identified our moral feelings with biologically-evolved retributive emotions. Questioning the extent to which current debates on the relationship between biology and morality are similar to those in which Westermarck himself was involved, the authors ask what can be learnt from his arguments and from the criticism that he encountered. Drawing on Westermarck's manuscripts and papers as well as his published work, the authors show the importance of situating debates, whether modern or classical, in their correct methodological and philosophical context. This volume is a rigorous assessment of the ways in which morality is connected with human biological nature. It plays close attention to the development of debates in this field and will appeal to scholars of sociology, anthropology and philosophy.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 238 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9781317138211
Related ISBNs:: 9780367596156, 9781472451743, 9781315581378
Publisher:: Taylor and Francis
Date of Addition:: 09/16/23
Copyrighted By:: Olli Lagerspetz, Jan Antfolk, Ylva Gustafsson, Camilla Kronqvist
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: Nonfiction, Social Studies, Sociology
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.
Edited by:: Olli Lagerspetz
Edited by:: Jan Antfolk
Edited by:: Ylva Gustafsson
Edited by:: Camilla Kronqvist