Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book looks at specific abstract conceptions of reason, deliberation and judgement that have been invoked in discussions of particular aspects of Action and ethics. It explains the primary considerations of Aristotle and Hegel in their discussions of ethics. Ethics for Aristotle being a preface to politics, and mankind being by nature a social and political creature, human activity is constitutive of moral and ethical life. One of the claims that are often made on behalf of moral theory, particularly deontological and utilitarian versions, is that one of its most fundamental points is to provide Action guidance. The evolution of virtue ethics from G. E. M. Anscombe's 'Modern Moral Philosophy' has led to consideration of the virtues as rules, but the understanding of 'rules' needs to be distinguished from its pervasive use in deontological and utilitarian ethics.