Facing Evil [Paperback]

Arguing that the prevalence of evil presents a fundamental problem for our secular sensibility, John Kekes develops a conception of character-morality as a response. He shows that the main sources of evil are habitual, unchosen actions produced by our character defects and that we can increase our control over the evil we cause by cultivating a reflective temper.

John Kekesis Professor of Philosophy and Public Policy at the State University of New York, Albany. He is the author of many books, includingMoral Tradition and Individuality(Princeton). An engaging blend of cultural insight, careful reasoning, and reflective wisdom. . . . John Kekes offers a compelling vision of the human condition and presents a set of logical conclusions about how we should live our lives in light of this vision. ---Anthony E. Hartle,Society Fascinating, existentially relevant, even wise. [Facing Evil] is among the best works of contemporary moral philosophy in this or any year in recent memory. ---Craig K. Ihara,San Francisco Review of Books [A] thoughtful, wide-ranging book . . . Every reader will find . . . numerous insights and interesting arguments. ---Stephen Nathanson,Philosophy and Literature