Iris Murdoch

Iris Murdoch is well-known for her moral philosophy, especially for the light it sheds on the inner life. This Element focuses on the political significance and contours of Murdoch's ethics. Its chief aim is to illuminate the affinities between Murdoch's concept of the individual and the Enlightenment ideal of a society in which people live together as free equals. There are five sections in this Element. Section 1 provides context for the discussion. Section 2 compares what Murdoch calls the liberal and naturalistic outlooks and argues that she develops a modified version of the naturalistic outlook to better support an Enlightenment sensibility. Sections 3 and 4 examine the three main features of Murdoch's 'naturalized' individual. Section 3 considers the individual's uniqueness and transcendence. Section 4 considers the individual's knowability through love. Section 5 offers some concluding remarks.

List of contents

1. The political significance of Murdoch's moral thought; 2. The individual and her background; 3. The unique and transcendent individual; 4. The individual revealed by love; 5. Concluding remarks; References.

Summary

This Element aims to illuminate the affinities between Murdoch's concept of the individual and the Enlightenment ideal of a society in which people live together as free equals. There are five sections, with emphasis on context for discussion, comparing outlooks, and examining main features of Murdoch's 'naturalized' individual.

Foreword

This Element illuminates the significance of Murdoch's moral thought, reveals how it is brilliantly keyed to liberal political values.

Product details

• Authors: Bridget Clarke, Bridget (University of Montana) Clarke
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.04.2025
• EAN: 9781009571739
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0957173-9
• No. of pages: 72
• Series: Elements on Women in the History of Philosophy
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > English linguistics / literary studies; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: general, reference works; History of Ideas, PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / General, PHILOSOPHY / Metaphysics, Philosophy, Ethics & moral philosophy, Philosophy: metaphysics & ontology, Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology, Ethics and moral philosophy, Western philosophy from c 1800, Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers, Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, Western philosophy: Enlightenment, Philosophy; history