Preface to the Revised Edition ix Acknowledgments xvii PART ONE: THE WAY THINGS STAND 1 The Conceit 3 2 A New Agenda for Stoic Ethics 5 3 The Ruins of Doctrine 8 Science, Logic, and Ethics 8 Norms and Moral Training 14 Virtue and Happiness 20 Commentary 23 Acknowledgments 33 PART TWO: THE WAY THINGS MIGHT GO 4 Normative Logic 37 Norms and Normative Propositions 38 Normative Constructs: Getting from Is to Ought 41 Axioms of Stoic Normative Logic 44 5 Following the Facts 46 Impossibilities 47 A Posteriori Normative Propositions 49 Motivated Norms 56 A Developmental Account of Moral Motivation 60 Heteronomous Endeavors, Autonomous Agency, and Freedom 64 Commentary 75 Acknowledgments 87 6 Virtue 89 Inseparable Agency, Virtue, and Eudaimonia 89 The Development of Virtue through Agency 91 Moral Education and Divergent Paths to Virtue 127 The Argument for Virtue as the Product of Ideal Agency 128 Exalted Virtue 132 Commentary 138 Acknowledgments 153 7 Happiness 155 A Whole Life 155 A Controlled Life 159 Life on the Rack 163 A Good Life 166 Joy 173 Commentary 175 Acknowledgments 191 Appendix A Calculus for Normative Logic 193 Notation and Interpretation 193 Basic Definitions, Rules, and Axioms 197 Normative Constructs 201 Axioms of Stoic Normative Logic 214 Immediate Inferences 215 Commentary 218 Acknowledgments 224 Postscript to the Revised Edition 225 The Virtues of Virtue Ethics in the Stoic Tradition 225 Stoic Politics and Virtue Politics Generally 227 Stoicism as a Guide to Living Well 231 Bibliography 239 Index 253
Lawrence C. Becker is a fellow of Hollins University and professor emeritus of philosophy at the College of William & Mary. He was an associate editor of the journal Ethics from 1985-2000, and the editor, with Charlotte B. Becker, of two editions of the Encyclopedia of Ethics.
"From the beginning to the end of this compact but lucid book, Becker skillfully brings to life both the arguments and the intuitive appeal of stoicism... In its essentials [the new stoicism] is recognizable, with its particularly astringent rational charm enhanced by Becker's focused and self-disciplined argumentation. Zeno, I suspect, would be pleased."--Brad Inwood, Apeiron "A stimulating discussion of ethics that is free of the jejune or overly technical attitudes characteristic of much current writing on the subject."--Joseph Shea, n.b.: new from The Reader's Catalog
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
