Description
Book SynopsisFrom the philosophy of Aristotle and Confucius, to Thomas Aquinas'' Summa Theologiae, to the paintings of Raphael, Botticelli and many more, fascination with the virtues has endured and evolved to fit a wide range of cultural, religious, and philosophical contexts through the centuries.This Very Short Introduction introduces readers to the various virtues: the moral virtues, the intellectual virtues, and the theological virtues, as well as the capital vices. It explores the role of the virtues in moral life, their cultivation, and how they offer ways of thinking and acting that are alternatives to mere rule-following. It also considers the relationship of the virtues to our own emotions, desires, and rational capacities.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Table of ContentsList of illustrations 1: Whose virtues, which vices? 2: The moral virtues: feeling good about being good 3: The intellectual virtues: being mindful 4: Whose culture? which virtues? Confucian and Islamic contributions to the virtues 5: The theological virtues: be good, by God! 6: The capital vices: good gone wrong, very wrong 7: Conclusion Further reading Index
