Foundations of Moral and Political Philosophy

Questions regarding the foundations of ethics and politics have intrigued philosophers ever since Socrates first pointed out their importance. Many philosophers have agreed with the ancient Greeks that we cannot obtain the knowledge we need to lead the best lives as individuals or to pursue the wisest public policies unless we are guided by a correct normative theory providing basic definitions, analyses, or explications of concepts such as "good:" and "bad" and "right" and "wrong", and basic judgments or principles regarding good things and right actions. However, the task of providing a correct account of the foundations of moral and political philosophy is both difficult and perplexing. There has recently been an enthusiastic revival of interest on the part of moral and political philosophers concerning such foundations, which promises to continue unabated through the rest of the 20th century. It is a field of great ferment and diversity, as reflected by the nine internationally-regarded philosophers who have written essays for this volume.