This book elaborates a moral realism of phenomenological inspiration by introducing the idea that moral experience, primordially, constitutes a perceptual grasp of actions and of their solid traces in the world. The main thesis is that, before any reference to values or to criteria about good and evil—that is, before any reference to specific ethical outlooks—one should explain the very materiality of what necessarily constitutes the ‘moral world’. These claims are substantiated by means of a text- centered interpretation of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics in dialogue with contemporary moral realism. The book concludes with a critique of Heidegger’s, Gadamer’s and Arendt’s approaches to Aristotle’s ethics.
Reviews
"The moral realism that this book defends may be contrasted with phenomenological accounts of moral experience found in Heidegger, Gadamer, and Arendt and with the view of analytic philosopher John McDowell. […] This well-structured argument for a strong version of moral realism makes use of a comparable analysis of people's capacity to perceive a common physical world. Such a clearly delineated shift in perspective raises many questions and undoubtedly will rejuvenate current discussions of moral realism." – S. A. Mason, Concordia University in Choice
"This daring and resourceful book draws on a deep familiarity with the analytic (McDowell) and phenomenological (Arendt, Gadamer, Heidegger) traditions and their common ancestors (Aristotle, Kant) to defend a novel type of moral realism that owes most to the Nicomachean Ethics, and to a provocative interpretation of the kind of practical or "'phronetic' perception introduced there. It marks the presence of a distinctive new Greek voice on the philosophical scene. Anyone interested in ancient or modern ethics will benefit from engaging with it." – C.D.C. Reeve, Delta Kappa Epsilon Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Unive North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
"The strength of this book lies in its offering a novel Aristotelian ethical theory that is both accessible to, and yet critical of, the two main contemporary western philosophical traditions. The particularly novel aspect of the theory lies in its emphasis on the ontology of prakta." – Carlo Davia, Fordham University in International Philosophical Quarterly
"Aristotle's Moral Realism Reconsidered: Phenomenological Ethics is an extremely ambitious work that combines detailed Aristotle and Kant exegesis with philosophical engagement across analytic and continental traditions. … Kontos' engagement with the diverse range of topics covered in the book is truly admirable, and one cannot help but feel that he is onto something deep and important. In particular, his attempt to counteract the solipsistic slant of many contemporary ethical frameworks is extremely refreshing and insightful. … [T]he book contains enough food for tho...
