Overview
Discusses the pros and cons of philosophical claims on absolutes
Analyzes the writings of modern philosophers who claim that there is an absolute norm
Draws upon the rich pool of philosophical ideas to clarify urgent contemporary questions
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Table of contents (5 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
Premodern societies believed in something sacred that obliged unconditionally. Modern societies rely on fallible science. Do they also need something absolute, a secular sacred? Steinvorth analyzes the writings of modern philosophers who claim that there is an absolute norm: the norm to be rational and authentic. In his view, their claim is true if it is reinterpreted. The norm is not moral, as it was thought to be, but metaphysical, and authenticity is not self-realization, but doing things for their own sake.
In discussing the pros and cons of philosophical claims on absolutes, this book spreads out the rich pool of philosophical ideas and clarifies urgent contemporary questions about what can be demanded with universal validity. It argues this is not only the principle of justice, not to harm, but also a metaphysical principle by which to find meaning in life. Moreover, it points to some consequences this principle has in politics.
Reviews
“I have long argued in favor of philosophical work that is informed by modern cognitive science. Steinvorth’s use of dual-process theory to leverage his argument is just the type of scholarly development that I would like to encourage.”
–Keith E. Stanovich, Emeritus Professor, University of Toronto, Canada
–Jason Brannon, Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy at the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University, USA
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Ulrich Steinvorth is Professor Emeritus at the University of Hamburg, Germany.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: A Secular Absolute
Book Subtitle: How Modern Philosophy Discovered Authenticity
Authors: Ulrich Steinvorth
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35036-9
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-35035-2Published: 14 January 2020
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-35038-3Published: 14 January 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-35036-9Published: 13 January 2020
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVI, 278