Lectures On Moral Philosophy

Lectures On Moral Philosophy by John Witherspoon. This work presents a comprehensive treatment of moral philosophy, arguing that moral inquiry is compatible with religion and can be enriched by rational reflection. It defines moral philosophy as the study of duty and obligation, and divides the subject into Ethics, Politics, and Jurisprudence. The author surveys the nature of moral faculty, distinguishing the understanding, will, and affections, and defends the existence of a moral sense or conscience. He discusses the foundation and obligation of virtue, and examines various theories of virtue including reason, benevolence, and self-love, while arguing for a view that integrates divine sovereignty and natural religion with human morality. The Ethics section analyzes duties to God, to fellow humans, and to self; Politics explores the state of nature, social contract, and forms of government; Jurisprudence covers punishment, contracts, property, and rights. The volume also includes an Address to the Students of the Senior Class and Letters on Education and Marriage, illustrating eighteenth‑century Protestant moral philosophy. Read more