Title
Moral dilemmas in medieval thought [electronic resource] : from Gratian to Aquinas / M. V. Dougherty.
ISBN
9781107007079
9781139007887 (electronic book)
Publication Details
Cambridge [England] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, c2011.
Language
English
Description
x, 226 p.
Call Number
BJ231 .D68 2011
Dewey Decimal Classification
170.94/0902
Summary
"The history of moral dilemma theory often ignores the medieval period, overlooking the sophisticated theorizing by several thinkers who debated the existence of moral dilemmas from 1150 to 1450. In this book Michael V. Dougherty offers a rich and fascinating overview of the debates which were pursued by medieval philosophers, theologians and canon lawyers, illustrating his discussion with a diverse range of examples of the moral dilemmas which they considered. He shows that much of what seems particular to twentieth-century moral theory was well-known long ago - especially the view of some medieval thinkers that some forms of wrongdoing are inescapable, and their emphasis on the principle 'choose the lesser of two evils'. His book will be valuable not only to advanced students and specialists of medieval thought, but also to those interested in the history of ethics."-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Access Note
Access limited to authorized users.
Machine generated contents note: Preface; Introduction; 1. Gratian and his Glossators on conflicts in the natural law; 2. Twenty moral dilemmas from two early 13th-century summaries of theology: William of Auxerre's Summa aurea and the Franciscan Summa Halesiana; 3. Raymond Lull and moral ensnarement in the Vita coaetanea; 4. Thomas Aquinas, moral dilemmas, and a missing article from Quodlibet XII; 5. Thomas Aquinas on failures of practical reasoning: why synderesis doesn't inoculate agents against malformed conscience dilemmas; 6. Moral dilemmas in the early Thomistic tradition: Johannes Capreolus and the deceiving demon dilemma; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.
