Abstract

This brilliant book is a landmark in contemporary ethical studies. I cannot do it justice in so short a review so I will simply list its main arguments and cite some of its virtues. This achievement comes as cultural postmodernism recedes from its high watermark. Left in its wake are numerous battered but still important parts of philosophy such as metaphysics and ethics. Desmond’s work goes a long way to restoring the connection between these two disciplines. The result is a study textured with the still valid findings of ancient, modern, and contemporary philosophers. It is a relief to be spared the straw men of recent philosophical debate while being simultaneously nourished by respectful presentations of Plato, Aristotle, Thomas, Spinoza, Kant, and Hegel. Here is an author who takes seriously the history of philosophy and uses it to anchor and develop his own positions.