Literature and Moral Philosophy

Presenter Information

Taylor Baker

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Campus where you would like to present

SURC 137B

Start Date

17-5-2012

End Date

17-5-2012

Abstract

Morality plays a massive role in the lives of nearly everyone in one form or another. But can we use literature as a tool for moral philosophy? Plato began the practice of casting the poet out of the good city, and this tradition has informed most philosophy ever since. If philosophy is to lead us to truths about our world, how could fiction, lies, help us toward the ends of truth? This research explores the connections and boundaries between philosophy and literature and how, in the act of moral reasoning, we can utilize both methods. In detecting old biases in philosophy, as well as defining literature as valuable for moral development, the division between the philosophers of the good city and the lying poets is illuminated and undermined, ultimately in a bid to understand literature as valuable to moral thought.

Faculty Mentor(s)

Matthew Altman

Additional Mentoring Department

Philosophy and Religious Studies

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May 17th, 2:40 PM May 17th, 3:00 PM

Literature and Moral Philosophy

SURC 137B

Morality plays a massive role in the lives of nearly everyone in one form or another. But can we use literature as a tool for moral philosophy? Plato began the practice of casting the poet out of the good city, and this tradition has informed most philosophy ever since. If philosophy is to lead us to truths about our world, how could fiction, lies, help us toward the ends of truth? This research explores the connections and boundaries between philosophy and literature and how, in the act of moral reasoning, we can utilize both methods. In detecting old biases in philosophy, as well as defining literature as valuable for moral development, the division between the philosophers of the good city and the lying poets is illuminated and undermined, ultimately in a bid to understand literature as valuable to moral thought.