Moral Freedom: The Search for Virtue in a World of ChoiceHow Americans describe their guiding principles in an exhilarating and unnerving new era of moral freedom. What is the difference between right and wrong? What does it mean to lead a good life? How binding is the marriage vow? What are your obligations to an employer? To your friends? To yourself? Is it always immoral to tell a lie? Eminent sociologist and public intellectual Alan Wolfe asked Americans around the country such questions in order to determine how we really think about morality today. Wolfe discovered that while values have changed, they are far from absent. Americans of all stripesfrom the most radical to the most traditionalwant to lead a good life, but in almost every case they are determined to decide for themselves what a good life means. Focusing on traditional virtues of loyalty, honesty, self-restraint, and forgiveness, Moral Freedom reveals the complexities of living in a society where rather than simply accepting strict conventions, each individual struggles to forge a moral life. |
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Moral Freedom: The Impossible Idea that Defines the Way We Live Now Alan Wolfe No preview available - 2001 |
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addiction Alasdair MacIntyre Americans argue asked Atherton become behavior believe born-again Christians Catholic choice church commitment conservative considered contemporary critics culture Dayton's democracy divorce drugs emphasized employees evil faith Fall River feel forgiveness Gertrude Himmelfarb Hartford honesty human nature idea Immanuel Kant important individual insist institutions interviews Jesus Jim Crowley Karla Faye Tucker Kenny Miller kind learned liberal live Lou Anne Mobley loyal loyalty Marcuse marriage Mary Masters means moral authority moral freedom nonetheless once parents person philosopher political politicians Port Huron Statement Protestant ethic puts radical reason religion religious respondents San Antonio's San Francisco says self-discipline self-indulgence sense sexual Silicon Valley social society someone spoke talk tells things tion Tipton told tradition trust truth understand University Press vice Victoria Woodhull Victorian Victorian morality virtue virtuous wrong York