The Sovereignty of Good

by Iris Murdoch

Overview

Iris Murdoch once observed: 'philosophy is often a matter of finding occasions on which to say the obvious'. What was obvious to Murdoch, and to all those who read her work, is that Good transcends everything - even God. Throughout her distinguished and prolific writing career, she explored questions of Good and Bad, myth and morality. The framework for Murdoch's questions - and her own conclusions - can be found here.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415253994
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/18/2001
Series:	Routledge Classics
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	126
Product dimensions:	5.06(w) x 7.81(h) x (d)

About the Author

Iris Murdoch

Table of Contents

Foreword to Routledge Great Minds Edition 1. The Idea of Perfection 2. On 'God' and 'Good' 3. The Sovereignty of Good Over Other Concepts Index

Editorial Reviews

'The project of founding morality not on changing human needs or wishes but on an immutable and absolute idea of goodness has been central to her thought.' - Mary Warnock, Women Philosophers

'The theme is the inadequacy of the account of human nature and value provided by contemporary, academic analytic philosophy. Murdoch's attack is the fruit of a thorough professional involvement with the school of thought to which she is opposed.' - Anthony Quinton, Sunday Telegraph

'All three essays which make up this book, The Idea of Perfection, On ‘God' and ‘Good', and The Sovereignty of Good over Other Concepts, are superb.' - The Guardian

'One of the very few modern books of philosophy which people outside academic philosophy find really useful.' - Mary Midgely

' ... Murdoch's attack is the fruit of a thorough professional involvement with the school of thought to which she is opposed.' - Anthony Quinton, Sunday Telegraph

'All three essays which make up this book, The Idea of Perfection, On ‘God' and ‘Good', and The Sovereignty of Good over Other Concepts, are superb.' - The Guardian

From the Publisher

Iris ... never minded being unfashionable. That is what makes The Sovereignty of Goodso good - what makes it, still, one of the very few modern books of philosophy which people outside academic philosophy find really helpful.

Mary Midgley

The theme is the inadequacy of the account of human nature and value provided by contemporary, academic analytic philosophy. Murdoch's attack is the fruit of a thorough professional involvement with the school of thought to which she is opposed.

Sunday Telegraph

All three essays which make up this book are superb . . . She has carefully pondered all that logical analysis, existentialism, Marxism, Freudianism can say, has learned from them, and yet is able to present an old-fashioned view with complete modernity.

Guardian