The Development of Ethics is a selective historical and critical
study of moral philosophy in the Socratic tradition, with special
attention to Aristotelian naturalism, its formation, elaboration,
criticism, and defence. This three-volume set discusses the main
topics of moral philosophy as they have developed historically,
including: the human good, human nature, justice, friendship, and
morality; the methods of moral inquiry; the virtues and their
connexions; will, freedom, and responsibility; reason and emotion;
relativism, subjectivism, and realism; the theological aspect of
morality. Volume 1 examines ancient and medieval philosophy up to
the sixteenth century, beginning with Socrates, the Cyrenaics and
Cynics, Plato, and then Aristotle. Terence Irwin compares the Stoic
position with the Aristotelian at some length; Epicureans and
Sceptics are discussed more briefly. Chapters on early Christianity
and on Augustine introduce a fuller examination of Aquinas'
revision, elabor
