Ethics
under
Glass
Books and videos by Fred Groh
First things....
What is a good human life? How should we live together, get along, and treat other people? I can’t think of any questions that are more important.
These are problems in living that are to be solved by looking into an ordinary adult’s interaction with the world. The methods that work best (sometimes the only ones that work) are the techniques of philosophy, because we have to poke and probe and dissect moral ideas and ideals very closely. I do this in the books I’ve written and in the thinking I continue to do. (My degree in philosophy plays a small part here and there along the way.) I invite you to join me.
Abridged versions of all the books can be downloaded for free, below. For updates on the current unabridged versions, click here. For a look at my videos, click here.
Due Respect
The Morality of the Welfare State
Argues that the four principles of basic liberalism and the welfare state are to be rejected for moral reasons. Offers a grounding for morality (chapter 5) and derived from that, a very strong principle for individual rights (chapter 6). Liberalism’s “basic needs” argument and how it fails. The essence of a person. Our obligation to help others and what a person may do in living a good human life that could injure other people. The problem of moral breakdown in a society. Examines arguments by Gewirth, Gauthier, Rawls, Lomasky, Machan.
Another Man’s Shoes
Detailed treatment of the most imperative moral issue of our time: the duty to help needy people. Looks at helping acts and their justification, both liberal and non-liberal. Topics include: Criterial liberal errors about the person, equality, and need. Where liberalism’s bedrock conception of the person goes wrong. Rights, generosity, and “relevant sufficient similarity” in non-liberal justification for helping. Liberal goals in helping, effects on people involved, redistribution, drafted help. In the non-liberal approach to helping: the competence of the ordinary person in self-management, in adverse circumstances, and in social-problem situations. Efficacy of capitalism and other non-liberal means compared to liberal means.
Conversations in an Empty Room
Essays extending and applying the principles developed in Due Respect to a variety of moral issues, among them: free will; lifeboat cases; children’s rights; abortion; generosity; covenants in property; justification of capital punishment; “safety nets” and freedom. “Fit” as a foundational concept in theory and practice. Arguments by Parfit, Fullinwider, Kelley, Sandel, Sidgwick.
The Shadow of Sextus
The plain man’s theory of knowledge and its successful bases. Treating people as individuals and as units in groups. Evading principles. Copyright law. Reading and writing the news.
The Last Stop
Background in technical philosophy is not assumed.
A book for activists about liberalism and the philosophy of a free society, keyed to news events in the year before Mr. Obama’s re-election. Contents include: A liberal credo. Foundational principles of liberalism: need and equality; community and democracy; leadership and the weakness of persons; criticism of capitalism. Liberalism in daily life. Changing minds. A case that validates a free society.
Reason in Our Time
Background in technical philosophy is not assumed.
In the first part of the book, a look at the wildly popular view that reason is superficial in human nature. “Landmark” research examined. Specific failings of reason claimed in, or practiced by, game theory, implicit-cognition research (and use of the research by activists), and disciplinary law (lawyers’ professional conduct).
In the second part of the book, 12 short essays for activists: helping the needy (five essays); capitalism; freedom; happiness; the rights of others; why liberalism isn’t what Americans thought they were getting; liberalism’s old Adam; and a culture of freedom illustrated. Face-to-face suggestions for activists.
Notebook
Some of the topics in this miscellany: “Aspiring lives.” Liberal’s practice of choosing among the implications of his ideas. Evidence and burden of proof. “Maxrel” (maximizing relevance) decision-making. Newcomb’s Problem and Prisoner’s Dilemma. The appeal of liberal values in warfare. Two theoretical frameworks: pain (liberal) and person (non-liberal). Cultural cycles repeating themselves. Using immoral means against immorality. Offending speech and physical assault; empathy and objectivity (college students). Personal and impersonal viewpoints in solving intransigent personal problems.
Among the topics in 30-plus videos (under my nom de Internet, “Freemantle”), about 10 minutes each: Why redistribution fails. What freedom is—and isn’t; ditto capitalism. National sex insurance. An attack on payday loans. “Democracy,” “better together,” “giving back” and other items in the liberal lexicon. Why the liberal will not “live and let live.” Service-learning in school. The ’60s sexual revolution: social change without liberal government.
Watch any of the videos for free by clicking the button.
Updates
A few bound paperback copies of the unabridged edition of The Last Stop are available. For information on this and the other books, please contact me below.
Contact
Please drop me a note if you have any questions or comments about my books or videos.