Good and Evil: An Absolute Conception

Professor Gaita's book deals with the dual themes of true (absolute) goodness and remorse for evil deeds. Both concepts seem (if I understand the book correctly) to hinge upon the idea of individuality - the notion that each of us is a thinking, feeling, and rational being who experiences joy and pain and has their own unique perspective on their life and the world around them.This is definitely a challenging book (probably the most challenging I've ever read). Gaita writes in a very scholarly fashion, and there will be times, most likely, where you'll need a dictionary to understand various words he uses. There are also passages where, quite frankly, his meaning would've been clearer if he had dumbed down the style in which he writes his sentences. Don't be surprised if you end up having to reread passages (or even entire chapters) one or more times before you truly grasp his meaning.I think the excessively academic style of the text clouds the power of the book's overall message to some degree, but if you can get past that and see what he's trying to say, it's a very powerful book.Overall, I recommend this book, but be forewarned that it won't be easy reading and won't be a book that you can finish off in a day or two.

I bought this on Kindle having read the book originally a few years ago. Going back to it now, having subsequently read some of his more recent work ('A Common Humanity', for example), some of the passages of 'Good and Evil' read a little bold. But his project is bold, and it's better to have strong, clear theses than endlessly qualified cop-outs.I still think Gaita is basically right, and I wish that his work had greater recognition and influence. This book, especially with the new preface, contains all the central elements of his meta-ethics. I'd recommend reading 'Romulus, My Father', not just because it's an excellent book in its own right, but because it really makes clear where a lot of the ideas in 'Good and Evil' come from; the moral example of his father, for example. I suspect there are gaps in this book that are filled by 'A Common Humanity' too, though the new preface and afterword seems to cover the most relevant ground.Anyone doing moral philosophy ought to be aware of Gaita's work, if only to break out of the standard view of 'Kant versus the utilitarians'.

Painfully bad. Convoluted nonsense.