Agency and Responsibility: A Common-Sense Moral Psychology [Hardcover]

Jeanette Kennett (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0198236581 | ISBN-13: 978-0198236580 | Publication Date: March 22, 2001

Distinctions between recklessness, weakness of will, and compulsion have been the targets of much philosophical attack. Beginning with the problem of weakness of will, this volume builds an admirably comprehensive and integrated account of moral agency that highly regards the capacity for self-control. It addresses with clarity a range of important topics-such as the nature of valuing and desiring, conceptions of virtue, moral conflict, and the varieties of recklessness-making this work especially important to those interested in philosophy, psychology, law, and moral and legal responsibility in general.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Agency and Responsibility is a penetrating treatment of its topic(s). The argument is painstakingly developed and richly supported by realistic examples....But since a review can't do justice to a complex and subtle work of this kind, I urge readers to see for themselves. The book is well worth reading."--Gary Watson, Mind

"Jeanette Kennett has written a nicely balanced, informative and well-argued book on contemporary thought about agency and responsibility....There are several...pearls in this slim volume, such as Kennett's discussion of 'moral luck'...It is also worth mentioning that Kennett provides real life examples, rather than bizarre thought experiments or abstract logic to illuminate her points. Her approach is as democratic as are her claims about moral reasoning. There are several points where the author's warmth and commitment to a moral life come through while she manages the rigors of analytic philosophy. It is this final point that I find most appealing in this book. If one reads between the lines, you get the feeling that Kennett believes that moral health, mental health and the proper use of agency are, if not the same, intimately entwined. This book can be seen as both a primer on the subject as well as an explication of Kennett's theory."--Metapsychology

About the Author

Jeanette Kennett is lecturer in Philosophy at Monash University, Australia.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 22, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198236581
• ISBN-13: 978-0198236580
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,661,509 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Progressive work., July 24, 2001

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"dsvob" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Agency and Responsibility: A Common-Sense Moral Psychology (Hardcover)

This book is extremely well written, with a keen sense of understanding. Well argued, with thorough knowledge of relevant literature. Unlike so much philosophy a good read and easily comprehended. A major advance in the field.