George Orwell: The Ethics of Equality

George Orwell's work is deeply informed by philosophy, and he made substantive ethical claims about humanism, well-being, normative ethics, free will, moral responsibility, moral psychology, decency, equality, liberty, justice, and political morality. Peter Brian Barry's book explores these philosophical themes and argues that Orwell deserves to be regarded as a worthy philosopher.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 11 October 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

George Orwell, often perceived as disinterested in or even hostile to philosophy, reveals a more nuanced perspective upon closer examination of his work. A fair reading of Orwell's writings reveals an author deeply influenced by philosophical ideas, often expressing his philosophical sympathies. While Orwell's written works hold ethical significance, they also encompass and defend substantive ethical claims related to humanism, well-being, normative ethics, free will, moral responsibility, moral psychology, decency, equality, liberty, justice, and political morality. In his book "George Orwell: The Ethics of Equality," philosopher Peter Brian Barry challenges the narrow interpretation of Orwell that focuses solely on a select few of his well-known works. Instead, Barry takes a comprehensive approach, examining the entirety of Orwell's corpus, including his fiction, journalism, essays, book reviews, diaries, and correspondence. He argues that there are ethical commitments discernible throughout Orwell's work that ground some of his most renowned pronouncements and positions. While Orwell is commonly perceived as a humanist, egalitarian, and socialist, there has been a lack of attention to the nuanced versions of those doctrines that he endorsed and the philosophical sympathies that led him to embrace them. Barry sheds light on Orwell's philosophical sympathies and contributions that have either gone unnoticed or been underappreciated. This book provides a valuable exploration of many of the philosophical themes present in Orwell's work, making a compelling case for considering him not only as a worthy philosopher but also as one of the greatest Anglophone writers of the 20th century.

George Orwell, often perceived as disinterested in or even hostile to philosophy, reveals a more nuanced perspective upon closer examination of his work. A fair reading of Orwell's writings reveals an author deeply influenced by philosophical ideas, often expressing his philosophical sympathies. While Orwell's written works hold ethical significance, they also encompass and defend substantive ethical claims related to humanism, well-being, normative ethics, free will, moral responsibility, moral psychology, decency, equality, liberty, justice, and political morality. In his book "George Orwell: The Ethics of Equality," philosopher Peter Brian Barry challenges the narrow interpretation of Orwell that focuses solely on a select few of his well-known works. Instead, Barry takes a comprehensive approach, examining the entirety of Orwell's corpus, including his fiction, journalism, essays, book reviews, diaries, and correspondence. He argues that there are ethical commitments discernible throughout Orwell's work that ground some of his most renowned pronouncements and positions. While Orwell is commonly perceived as a humanist, egalitarian, and socialist, there has been a lack of attention to the nuanced versions of those doctrines that he endorsed and the philosophical sympathies that led him to embrace them. Barry sheds light on Orwell's philosophical sympathies and contributions that have either gone unnoticed or been underappreciated. This book provides a valuable exploration of many of the philosophical themes present in Orwell's work, making a compelling case for considering him not only as a worthy philosopher but also as one of the greatest Anglophone writers of the 20th century.

Weight: 416g
Dimension: 147 x 219 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197627402