John Locke and the Ethics of Belief [Paperback]

A new view of Locke's ethics of belief and his contribution to modern philosophy.Locke's ethical concern was instigated by the collapse of a once-unified moral and religious tradition in Europe into warring factions. After presenting Hume's powerful attack against him, this study argues in support of Locke's originality, emphasizing his contribution to post-sixteenth-century philosophy.Locke's ethical concern was instigated by the collapse of a once-unified moral and religious tradition in Europe into warring factions. After presenting Hume's powerful attack against him, this study argues in support of Locke's originality, emphasizing his contribution to post-sixteenth-century philosophy.This book discusses the ethics of belief that Locke developed in the last book of his Essay: how we ought to govern our opinions, especially on matters of religion and morality. Wolterstorff shows that this concern was instigated by the collapse of a once-unified moral and religious tradition in Europe into warring factions. After presenting Hume's powerful attack on Locke's recommended practice, Wolterstorff argues for Locke's originality and emphasizes his contribution to the modernity of post-sixteenth-century philosophy.Preface; 1. RATIONALITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE; 2. HUME'S ATTACK: WHY IMPLEMENTING LOCKE'S PRACTICE IS NOT ALWAYS DOING ONE'S BEST; 3. LOCKE'S ORIGINALITY; 4: LOCKE AND THE MAKING OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY; Index. Clearly written, the book makes a valiant effort to understand Locke on his own terms with regard to the rational regulation of belief. It is an important contribution to scholarship on Locke's ethics of belief. Recommended for any library supporting work on philosophy. Choice ...this is an excellent study to the extent it focuses on Locke. It is thorough, pays careful attention to the text, and is rich in critical engagement with both the most recent work on Locke and recent work relevant to some of Locke's central concerns....the kind of work which out l“r