Disguised vices : theories of virtue in early modern French thought /

The notions of virtue and vice are essential components of the Western ethical tradition. But in early modern France they were called into question, as writers, most famously La Rochefoucauld, argued that what appears as virtue is in fact disguised vice: people carry out praiseworthy deeds because t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Moriarty, Michael, 1956-
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2011.
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Online Access:Connect to the full text of this electronic book
Description
Summary:The notions of virtue and vice are essential components of the Western ethical tradition. But in early modern France they were called into question, as writers, most famously La Rochefoucauld, argued that what appears as virtue is in fact disguised vice: people carry out praiseworthy deeds because they stand to gain in some way; they deserve no credit for their behaviour because they have no control over it; they are governed by feelings and motives of which they may not be aware. Disguised Vices analyses the underlying logic of these arguments, and investigates what is at stake in them. It tra.
Physical Description:1 online resource (ix, 409 pages)
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:9780191618185
0191618187
9780191728808
0191728802