Ethics and Moral Life in the 18th Century: A New Take on Early Modern Ethics

Descripción del proyecto

Analizar la ética del siglo XVIII

La ética moderna temprana se centraba en los fundamentos de la moralidad, pero su principal objetivo solía ser abordar cuestiones morales. Esto era cierto para los filósofos del siglo XVIII, que examinaban las exigencias morales y se posicionaban como expertos. El equipo del proyecto 18ETHICS, financiado por el CEI, explorará el propósito de las discusiones morales del siglo XVIII y aportará una perspectiva nueva que reoriente el estudio de la ética de la Edad Moderna. Con un método temático y comparativo, en el proyecto se pondrán de relieve temas centrales de la filosofía moral del siglo XVIII que a menudo se pasan por alto, como los deberes para con uno mismo y los demás, las consideraciones morales sobre los animales y los debates sobre cuestiones éticas. Los resultados influirán en el discurso filosófico más amplio sobre las aportaciones de la ética de la Edad Moderna a la cultura europea y aportarán ideas a los debates morales contemporáneos.

Objetivo

Early modern ethics has so far been investigated with regard to the debates on the foundations of morality, moral knowledge and the status of moral principles. Despite their achievements, the main limit of previous studies is that they have largely disregarded the distinctive purpose of ethics in that age, that is, to provide guidance about specific moral issues. Even the discussion on the abstract topics on which most studies have focused was in fact sustained by the purpose of providing the appropriate tools for leading a good life. This applies especially to 18th-century moral philosophers, who devoted most of their efforts to an all-encompassing examination of the most significant demands in all areas of morality, presenting themselves as moral experts.
In sharp contrast to previous scholarship, the present project centres on that underlying ambition. The focus will be the raison d’etre of 18th-century treatments of morality, that is, to provide practical guidance. Thereby the project intends to re-orient the studies on the history of early modern ethics.
The proposed research will be highly innovative both (1) because of its topics and (2) because of its approach.
(1) The project gives prominence to neglected clusters of issues that defined the main concern of 18th-century moral philosophers: the duties to oneself and others, the moral relevance of our conduct towards animals, the extent of disagreement about moral questions.
(2) Unlike most current scholarship, the investigation will have not a monographic, but a thematic and comparative approach, examining different takes on the same issues.
On both sides, the project has in view an impact that goes well beyond the mere scope of the proposed research, by suggesting a much broader perspective on a distinctive contribution of philosophy to European culture, which offers insights on currently much discussed issues about the status and aims of ethics.