Abstract
There are moral philosophers whose primary concern is with the structure of moral judgments and the logical nature of moral arguments. Others are concerned with the nature of the moral actor, believing that a preliminary step towards understanding any object is the study of the subject. Admittedly, the two areas of concern are mutually complementary and any student could start or end with either. I am, however, inclined to believe that the nature of morality is best understood by studying the moral agent from whom judgments and decisions concerning matters of right and wrong.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
Martin Hollis, Models of Man: Philosophic Thoughts in Social Action, Cambridge University Press, London, 1977, pp. 77–48.
M. Hollis, Models of Man: Philosophic Thoughts in Social Action, Cambridge University Press, London, 1977 op cit., p. 101.
John Benson, “Who is the Autonomous Man?” Philosophy 58, No. 223, Jan. 1983, p. 6.
John Benson, “Who is the Autonomous Man?” Philosophy 58, No. 223, Jan. 1983,;op. cit., p. 7.
Edward O. Wilson, On Human Nature, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 1978, p. 160.
Edward O. Wilson, On Human Nature, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 1978, Ibid. p. 162.
Richard Dawkin’s book, The Selfish Gene (Oxford University Press 1976) is an account of how men are machines manipulated by their genes. According to Dawkins, our genes are responsible for our moral actions and we have no control over them.
P. H. Partridge, S. I. Benn, and G. W. Mortimore, “The Rationality of Societies,” in Benn and Mortimore (eds.) Rationality and the Social Sciences, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1976, p. 364.
Jennifer Jackson, “Virtues With Reason” in Philosophy 53, No. 204, April 1978, p. 233.
Partridge, Benn, and Mortimore, “The Rationality of Societies,” in Benn and Mortimore (eds.) Rationality and the Social Sciences, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1976, op. cit., p. 380.
Partridge, Benn, and Mortimore, “The Rationality of Societies,” in Benn and Mortimore (eds.) Rationality and the Social Sciences, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1976, op. cit., p. 380. Loc. cit.
Vernon Pratt, “A Biological Approach To Sociological Functionalism,” Inquiry 18, 1975, p. 381.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1987 D. Reidel Publishing Company
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Sogolo, G. (1987). On the Autonomy of the Moral Agent. In: Tymieniecka, AT. (eds) Morality within the Life - and Social World. Analecta Husserliana, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3773-4_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3773-4_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8179-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3773-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive