Evil and Moral Psychology

by Peter Brian Barry

Overview

This book examines what makes someone an evil person and how evil people are different from merely bad people. Rather than focusing on the "problem of evil" that occupies philosophers of religion, Barry looks instead to moral psychology—the intersection of ethics and psychology. He provides both a philosophical account of what evil people are like and considers the implications of that account for social, legal, and criminal institutions. He also engages in traditional philosophical reasoning strongly informed by psychological research, especially abnormal and social psychology.

In response to the popularity of phrases like "the axis of evil" and the ease with which politicians and others describe their opponents as "evil," Barry sets out to make clear just what it is to be an evil person.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135119799
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/02/2013
Series:	Routledge Studies in Ethics and Moral Theory
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	198
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Peter Brian Barry is AssociateProfessor of Philosophy at Saginaw Valley State University, USA.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Mark of Cain  1. Preliminary Matters  Appendix to Chapter 1: Evil and Experimental Philosophy  2. Taxonomies of Wickedness  3. The Structure of Evil Character  4. The Content of Evil Character  Appendix to Chapter 4: Evil and Social Psychology  5. Evil and Moral Responsibility  6. Evil and Abnormal Psychology  7. Evil and Capital Punishment