Derek parfit is a british philosopher who specialises in problems of personal identity, rationality, ethics, and the relations among them. His 1984 book reasons and persons, has been very influential. As the brain state changes all the time, the self cannot be the same. Derek parfit is one of my favorite philosophers, and favorite writers at that, so for many years i have been looking forward to his next book, which is now out. From political theory, news that derek parfit s on what matters, a twovolume work, has now been published. Derek parfit is senior research fellow at all souls college, oxford. He has written two books, both of which have been called the most important works to be written. Derek parfit and janet radclifferichards believe that philosophy should guide behaviour. Derek parfits reasons and persons is considered a must read in. Derek parfit, personal identity what is the most neutral way to describe what happens in parfits case of fission. On what matters by derek parfit issue 87 philosophy now. Formazione personale, impresa di mercato e cultura. From political theory, news that derek parfits on what matters, a twovolume work, has now been published.
Reasons and persons is a 1984 book by the philosopher derek parfit, in which the author. Essays on derek parfits on what matters wiley online books. Last week, i blogged about derek parfit, an oxford philosopher featured in a recent issue of the new yorker. To demonstrate this point macfarquhar includes a parenthetical anecdote about tibetan monks chanting lines from parfits book. For more on the issue of the self and identity, check out. It is impossible to sum up in a couple of hundred words the richness, subtlety and complexity of the philosophy of derek parfit, who died at the age of 74 on new years day. Derek parfit was terrified of wasting time, even on choosing what to eat or wear, and always had identical types of meal, and kept duplicate sets of clothes. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Tibetan monks found chanting text by oxford philosopher. It is the longawaited followup to derek parfits 1984 book reasons and persons, one of the landmarks of twentiethcentury philosophy. Derek parfit, a british philosopher whose writing on personal identity, the nature of reasons and the objectivity of morality reestablished ethics as.
Obituary derek parfit 1942 2017 jeff mcmahan says farewell to a friend derek parfit, who died unexpectedly on the second day of the new year, was one of the most important philosophers of the past half century and, in the view of many, the single best moral philosopher in more than a century. Todays deals vouchers amazonbasics best sellers gift ideas new releases gift cards help free delivery shopper toolkit sell. His book reasons and persons 1984 is a fertile exploration of. Parfit held that conventional philosophical notions regarding the. This is less original, but perhaps of wider appeal to any public still interested in philosophy. He regularly teaches there and is also afsliated with new york university and harvard.
The groundwork of morals routledge studies in ethics and moral theory. This talk is part of the eagxoxford 2016 conference. Parfits interest is in those metaphysical questions that have moral and emotional significance. Derek parfit has 16 books on goodreads with 15546 ratings. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. In her article on parfit, how to be good, larissa macfarquhar writes about the apparent affinity between parfits view and the buddhist view of the self. On what matters is a major work in moral philosophy. Parfits classic reasons and persons is, i think, the most difficult thing i have ever.
Parfits first book, reasons and persons, was published in 1984. It is already being hailed as the most important work of moral philosophy since the 1870s. In part three of that book, parfit discussed the issue of personal identity over time. Discover book depositorys huge selection of derek parfit books online. Reasons and persons edition 1 available in paperback, nook book. His on what matters was the most eagerly awaited book in philosophy for many years. Parfit now presents a powerful new treatment of reasons, rationality, and normativity, and a critical examination of three systematic moral theories kants. Coming soon new releases nook book bundles nook daily find nook foreign. On what matters is an essential overview and assessment of volumes 1 and 2 of parfits monumental work by a team of international contributors, and includes responses by parfit himself. Communication must improve and students should be consulted on finding new assessment methods, says brian wong. Parfit now presents a powerful new treatment of reasons, rationality, and normativity, and a critical examination of three systematic moral theories kants ethics, contractualism, and consequentialism. The nonidentity problem derek parfit eagx 2016 oxford. The philosopher derek parfit believes that neither of the people is you, but.
He was educated at oxford and was a harkness fellow at columbia and harvard. In this first volume parfit presents a powerful new treatment of reasons and rationality, and a critical examination of three systematic moral theories kants ethics, contractualism. Controversial philosopher and professor of bioethics peter singer has been working in the field of practical ethics for 30 years which means that when i began. Derek parfit was one of the worlds leading philosophers. Derek parfit, english philosopher whose work in normative ethics and metaethics, personal identity, and the theory of practical reason was widely influential in the englishspeaking world from the 1980s. Its discussions of questions about the character and status of ethics are integrated with. Derek parfits sudden death on 1 january 2017, just weeks before the publication of this book, deprived the world of one of its greatest moral philosophers. Derek parfit author of reasons and persons goodreads. He cites that it is morally wrong for one person to harm or interfere. Derek antony parfit fba was a british philosopher who specialised in personal identity. This brings us to the second major line of argument in his new book.
Derek parfit, all souls, university of oxford derek parfit is one of the leading philosophers of our time. When derek parfit published, it mattered prospect magazine. He is a senior research fellow at all souls college, oxford, global distinguished professor of philosophy at new york university, and a fellow of the british academy and of the american academy of arts and sciences. In 1967 he gained a fellowship at all souls college, oxford, and has subsequently worked at oxford, new york university, and harvard. Parfit is thought by many to be the most original moral philosopher in the englishspeaking world. His first book, reasons and persons 1984, has been described as the most significant work of moral philosophy. Derek parfit has few memories of his past and almost never thinks about it, a fact that he attributes to an inability to form mental images. Derek parfit s most popular book is reasons and persons. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential moral philosophers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. About the author derek parfit is a research fellow at all souls college. On what matters by derek parfit james alexander ponders derek parfits new work. It is a virtue of parfits book that it aims to cover the traditional domain of ethical theory. Very few works in the subject can compare with parfits in scope, fertility, imaginative resource, and cogency of reasoning. In this first volume parfit presents a powerful new treatment of reasons and rationality, and a critical examination of three systematic moral theories kants ethics, contractualism, and consequentialism.
Oxford, global distinguished professor of philosophy at new york university. Many of his peers considered him the most important moral philosopher of the 20th and early. In derek parfit publication of parfits first book, reasons and persons 1984, created a sensation among englishspeaking academic philosophers, who were impressed by its originality, its intricate and ingenious argument, its immense fertility, and its panoramic scope. Derek parfit was a british professor of philosophy at oxford university specializing in personal identity, rationality, ethics, and the relations between them. In essays on derek parfits on what matters, seven leading moral philosophers offer critical evaluations of the central ideas presented in a greatly anticipated new work by worldrenowned moral philosopher derek parfit presents critical assessments of what promises to be. Books by derek parfit author of reasons and persons. Reasons and persons is a 1984 book by the philosopher derek parfit, in which the author discusses ethics, rationality and personal identity it is divided into four parts, dedicated to selfdefeating theories, rationality and time, personal identity and responsibility toward future generations.
Parfit believes that teleportation is simply a way for the self to travel from new york to london. It is the longawaited followup to derek parfit s 1984 book reasons and persons, one of the landmarks of twentiethcentury philosophy. The book included articles by other leading philosophers criticizing. Parfit was born in china, and educated at balliol college, oxford. In a new paper, we are not human beings, derek parfit argues that persons are identically their conscious, thinking parts, which he identifies as their cerebrums this is a significant departure from the position he defended in reasons and persons, that personal identity consists in nonbranching psychological continuity and connectedness with any cause. Reasons and persons challenges, with several powerful arguments, some of our deepest beliefs about rationality, morality, and personal identity.