UNDERSTANDING MORALITY

Johnson articulates a theory on the function of morality in this philosophical work.

Per the author, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, the problem with morality comes from the difficulty in squaring our ideal of living a “good” life (a moral life) with our drive to live “the good life” (a happy and fulfilling life). “Much of human history,” writes Johnson, “can be seen as an attempt to harmonize these two quests.” Though many moral systems are based in religion, the concept of morality is not inherently theological. Such systems exist, he argues, to help us negotiate between competing wants, needs, and desires (WNDs), both within ourselves and in relation to the wants, needs, and desires of others. With this book, the author proposes a set of considerations for assessing moral systems—the factors that shape them, the forms they take, and the various ways their precepts have been defended or assailed over time. He examines a number of famous moral systems (including those of Epicurus, Plato, Hobbes, and Hume) as well as theories of absolutism, relativism, egotism, and determinism. Johnson’s prose is exacting but always accessible, elucidating complex concepts with economy and an eye for a memorable image: “The charge of ‘pig philosophy’ had been leveled at Bentham’s utilitarianism, since Bentham had argued that all pleasures are equal, that ‘push-pin is as good as poetry’ if it results in pleasure…Bentham’s critics suggested that a pig happy in a mud puddle would be an ideal utilitarian.” The author covers a lot of ground, providing historical context even as he outlines tensions that feel particularly timely in our age of politicized morality. The book would make a useful primer for a college philosophy class, or for anyone interested in a sober approach to the topic.

An even-handed and highly readable rumination on the nature of morality.