Prof Robert Stern on 'Can we make ourselves morally better?'

The Joseph Butler Society exists to promote discussion in the field of philosophy of religion.

The Joseph Butler Society

Prof Robert Stern (Sheffield): 'Can we make ourselves morally better?' Murdoch and Løgstrup on evil, grace, and techniques of unselfing

Event will take place over Zoom.This paper will consider how the thought of Iris Murdoch and K. E. Løgstrup can be compared on the issue of ’techniques of unselfing’ - namely, whether there are techniques we can use to make ourselves focus less on ourselves and more on others, and thus make ourselves morally better. It will be argued that while Murdoch and Løgstrup agree on many fundamental issues, including our underlying egoistic self-concern, Løgstrup would question the coherence of Murdoch’s idea that we can make ourselves morally better through our own efforts -- and that in the background of his critique lies a very Lutheran worry about Aristotelian ethics as involving too much emphasis on our own agency, and not enough emphasis on grace. It will therefore be suggested that this debate between Løgstrup and Murdoch echoes a familiar Reformation debate but in a more secular context.** in the registration form please provide your UNIVERSITY email address **

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Prof Robert Stern on 'Can we make ourselves morally better?'

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Prof Robert Stern on 'Can we make ourselves morally better?'

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Discover more events from The Joseph Butler Society, from Spirituality to other experiences you might love.

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