Princeton University Press
The Virtues of Our Vices: A Modest Defense of Gossip, Rudeness, and Other Bad Habits
Key Metrics
- Emrys Westacott
- Princeton University Press
- Paperback
- 9780691162218
- 8.5 X 5.51 X 0.69 inches
- 0.86 pounds
- Philosophy > Ethics & Moral Philosophy
- English
Secure TransactionBook Description
The hidden value of some of our everyday vices
Are there times when it's right to be rude? Can we distinguish between good and bad gossip? Am I a snob if I think that NPR listeners are likely to be better informed than devotees of Fox News? Does sick humor do anyone any good? Can I think your beliefs are absurd but still respect you?
In The Virtues of Our Vices, philosopher Emrys Westacott takes a fresh look at important everyday ethical questions--and comes up with surprising answers. He makes a compelling argument that some of our most common vices--rudeness, gossip, snobbery, tasteless humor, and disrespect for others' beliefs--often have hidden virtues or serve unappreciated but valuable purposes. For instance, there are times when rudeness may be necessary to help someone with a problem or to convey an important message. Gossip can foster intimacy between friends and curb abuses of power. And dubious humor can alleviate existential anxieties.
Engaging, funny, and philosophically sophisticated, The Virtues of Our Vices challenges us to rethink conventional wisdom when it comes to everyday moral behavior.
Author Bio
Emrys Westacott is professor of philosophy and human studies at the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Alfred University. His research interest cover modern and ancient philosophies, philosophy and religion and philosophy of social sciences.
Professor Emrys has worked in the Human Studies department and as a philosophy professor at A.U. for over 20 years. A prolific reader and writer, his work has been featured in popular and scholarly publications alike; his most recent book, The Wisdom of Frugality: Why Less is More–More or Less, was published in 2016, and his article “Philosophers Who Like Stuff: Their Case Against Frugality” was published in the Fall 2017 issue of Humanities magazine.
Research Interests
Modern Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Social and Political Philosophy, Applied Ethics, Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Logic, Aesthetics, Philosophy and Literature, Philosophy of Religion
Education
- University of Texas at Austin Ph.D. in philosophy, 1995, Dissertation: ‘Relativism and the Critique of Reason’ Advisor: Robert Kane
McGill University M.A. in philosophy, 1984 Thesis title: 'Kant’s Concept of Intellectual Intuition' Advisor: George di Giovanni
University of Sheffield (UK) B.A. in philosophy (first class honours), 1979
Source: Alfred University and
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