The Data of Ethics

What makes an action good, bad, selfish, or generous? In The Data of Ethics, Herbert Spencer approaches morality as a subject that can be examined through human nature, behavior, psychology, biology, and social life. Rather than treating ethics as a collection of abstract rules, Spencer investigates the foundations from which moral conduct develops. He considers good and bad conduct, pleasure and pain, egoism and altruism, and the different ways people attempt to judge right and wrong. The book moves through several perspectives, including the physical, biological, psychological, and sociological dimensions of human behavior. Spencer asks how ethical principles relate to the conditions of life and how individual interests can coexist with the interests of others. His discussion of egoism versus altruism explores one of the enduring questions of moral philosophy: how should personal well-being be balanced with concern for others? As the argument develops, Spencer considers compromise, conciliation, and the distinction between absolute and relative ethics. The result is a sustained attempt to understand morality as part of the broader development of human conduct and social organization. For readers interested in ethics, moral philosophy, human behavior, social philosophy, psychology, and evolutionary thought, this classic work provides a fascinating historical perspective on questions that remain relevant today. Thought-provoking and analytical, The Data of Ethics invites readers to examine not only what they believe is right, but also why human beings develop moral ideas in the first place.