Moral Damages: The Case for Abolishing Morality

by Stephen G. Morris

Overview

Despite the wide-ranging differences in people’s moral perspectives, there is near universal agreement that the world is generally better off when people allow morality to dictate their actions. But what if this view is wrong? What if the very thing that most people think is key to improving human relations is actually a primary contributor to unnecessary suffering and strife? In this book, Stephen G. Morris uses the latest empirical evidence to argue that eliminating all vestiges of morality from our lives (a position known as moral abolitionism) would likely yield benefits on both an individual and a societal level. Though the primary aim is to build a pragmatic case for why we ought to dispense with morality, Morris first argues that there are theoretical reasons for rejecting morality since we lack compelling arguments for the existence of moral facts. From there, he cites extensive evidence suggesting that morality does more harm than good through its negative influence on violence, politics, and personal relationships. Following a discussion of how we have at our disposal the necessary resources (i.e., empathy, prudential self-interest, and reason) to benefit humanity in a world without morality, Morris concludes by offering some specific steps societies could take to help eliminate morality’s corrupting influence and to improve human relations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783031802447
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan
Publication date:	03/03/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	810 KB

About the Author

Stephen G. Morris is Associate Professor of Philosophy at The College of Staten Island/CUNY, USA

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction: Opening Statements    .- Part I: Why Moral Realism is False.- Chapter 2: What Sort of Morality Should We Abolish?.- Chapter 3: Arguments Against Moral Realism.- Chapter 4: Assessing the Alternatives to Error Theory and Moral Abolitionism.- Part II: Assessing the Moral Damages.- Chapter 5: Killing in the Name of…Justice.- Chapter 6: Morality and Politics.- Chapter 7: The Impact of Moral Beliefs on Personal and Societal Well-being.- Part III: A Way Forward.- Chapter 8: What Can Replace Morality?.- Chapter 9: Closing Remarks.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“In Moral Damages: The Case for Abolishing Morality, Stephen Morris boldly goes where few philosophers have gone before, namely, to consider the empirical case that humanity would be better off eliminating reference to morality in our deliberations about what to do (i.e., moral abolitionism). To date, no one else has amassed as much explicitly scientific evidence in support of this claim. At the same time, Morris displays the logical rigor expected of a philosopher, both in vetting the scientific research to make sure its findings are truly relevant (concept validity), and constructing the arguments he bases on it (metaethics). This book therefore performs a much-needed service for specialists, in particular so-called moral error theorists, as well as for anyone who has ever wondered whether morality may be more a part of the problem than a part of the solution to making this a better world.” (Joel Marks, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of New Haven, USA)

“The capacity to think in moral terms is often assumed be one of humanity’s greatest assets. But morality has destructive consequences too: justifying harms, motivating violence, leading people to their ruin. In this wide-ranging and stimulating book, Morris explores the dark side of morality, employing both philosophical arguments and empirical evidence in support of the radical view that we’d all be better off if moral thinking were abolished from our minds.” (Richard Joyce, Professor of Philosophy, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand)