Virtues and Their Vices

Virtues and Their Vices is the only extant contemporary, comprehensive treatment of specific virtues and, where applicable, their competing vices.

Each of the essays, written exclusively for this volume, not only locates discussion of that virtue in its historical context, but also advances the discussion and debate concerning the understanding and role of the virtues. Each of the first four sections focuses on a particular, historically important class of virtues: the cardinal virtues, the capital vices (or 'seven deadly sins') and the corrective virtues, intellectual virtues, and the theological virtues. The final section discusses the role virtue theory and the virtues themselves play in a number of disciplines, ranging from theology and political theory to neurobiology and feminism. The treatment of the virtues in this present volume is sensitive to the historical heritage of the virtues, including their theological heritage, without paying undue attention to the historical and theological issues. Virtues and Their Vices engages contemporary philosophical scholarship as well as relevant scholarship from related disciplines throughout. It is a unique and compelling addition to the philosophical treatment of the virtues as well as their import in a wide spectrum of disciplines.

Reviews

"Overall, volume I of Virtues and Their Vices provides a nice introduction to Catholic virtue ethics for those already familiar with the basics of virtue ethics." --Philosophical Quarterly

"I think that this volume is among the most important anthologies of the last years in the ever-growing field of virtue ethics...Probably the most striking as well as intriguing feature of the anthology is its structure...I think that the editors have done tremendous job in selecting the contributors to this volume. The volume is comprised of many excellent contributions from major figures in their respective fields and it seems that Timpe and Boyd have chosen the contributors with much care. At the end of the day, I would like to wholeheartedly recommend this anthology to anyone working in the field of virtue ethics and in broader sense in the field of virtue theory. But also philosophers of religion as well as theologian, and interested students will profit from reading this admittedly rather bulky book. Because of its rather unique focus on the systematics of virtues and their vices, I consider the volume to vital contribution to the debate." -- Metapsychology Online Reviews

"The essays, by and large, do a fine job of historical discussion balanced with contemporary issues/retrieval, that is interwoven into the author's own constructive agenda. In this sense, this volume would be a perfect way to start one's research on the virtues and vices, but it would also serve as a helpful outline of contemporary thought on the topic." -- Journal of Analytic Theology

"The attentive reader cannot help but emerge with a working knowledge of the main figures, distinctions, and arguments relevant to each virtue. This volume is an excellent introduction to the virtues. It will be useful to academics, but is also suitable for use in graduate seminars and advanced undergraduate courses."--Religious Studies Review

"This is a very good book. As with any collected volume, some of the essays are stronger than others. But nearly every essay is wide-ranging, historically informed, well argued, lively, interesting, and potentially edifying. I highly recommend it, and hope to see more volumes like it." -- The Journal of Moral Philosophy