For Iris Murdoch, morality is about love, not duties and rules
11 days ago
- #ethics
- #philosophy
- #love
- Love is a profound experience that changes our perception of ourselves and the world.
- Morality is often seen as impartial duties, while love is seen as unpredictable and personal.
- Iris Murdoch argues that love is central to morality, shaping how we see and act towards others.
- Murdoch emphasizes 'attentive love' as a way to overcome ego and see others truthfully.
- The ego distorts our vision of others through self-deception and fantasy.
- Loving attention draws us out of self-centeredness and helps us see reality more clearly.
- Murdoch uses the example of M and D to show how love can transform biased perceptions.
- Love can be misleading if it focuses on illusions rather than real people.
- Attentive love requires practice and can be cultivated through art, skill, and patience.
- Murdoch's view aligns with religious and cultural traditions that see love as morally transformative.