Review Of "Innocence And Experience" By S. Hampshire

Document Type

Book Review

Publication Date

2-1-1990

Published In

Choice

Abstract

Virtues of innocence often war with virtues of experience. For people and nations (rightly) live by different conceptions of the good; consequently, pervasive conflicts of moral interests abound. We can avoid Hobbes' "war of all against all" only by committing ourselves to justice as fair procedure of deliberation and decision, but without J. Rawls' liberal commitments (A Theory of Justice, 1971). Hampshire exposes Hume's "trick" by arguing that we can derive "ought" from "is" and bridge the fact-value gap with relative ease, if we grant commonsense presuppositions. Hume, like Plato, Kant, and utilitarians, distortingly celebrates reason at the expense of its equal, imagination. As in Morality and Conflict (1983), the problem of "dirty hands" haunts Hampshire. He takes on Machiavelli, arguing that procedural justice is not only universally valid, but (unlike sentiment) serves as an effective bar to the worst abuses. Since Thought and Action (1959), Hampshire has spoken with a distinctive, engaging voice, and this book is no exception. What it lacks in rigor, it makes up for in insight and reflection drawn, in part, from his own wartime experience. Highly recommended for anyone interested in moral and political philosophy, from the well-read generalist to the professional philosopher.

Comments

This work is freely available courtesy of Choice Reviews. The review has been reproduced in full in the abstract field.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS