The Ethics of Attention

by Silvia Caprioglio Panizza

This book draws on Iris Murdoch’s philosophy to explore questions related to the importance of attention in ethics. In doing so, it also engages with Murdoch’s ideas about the existence of a moral reality, the importance of love, and the necessity but also the difficulty, for most of us, of fighting against our natural self-centred tendencies. Why is attention important to morality? This book argues that many moral failures and moral achievements can be explained by attention. Not only our actions and choices, but the possibilities we choose among, and even the meaning of what we perceive, are to a large extent determined by whether we pay attention, and what we attend to. In this way, the book argues that attention is fundamental, though often overlooked, in morality. While the book’s discussion of attention revolves primarily around Murdoch’s thought, it also engages significantly with Simone Weil, who introduced the concept of attention in a spiritual context. The book also engages with contemporary debates concerning moral perception and motivation, empirical psychology, animal ethics, and Buddhist philosophy. The Ethics of Attention will be of interest to researchers and advanced students working on Iris Murdoch, Simone Weil, ethics and moral psychology, and the philosophy of attention.

Genres: Philosophy

192 pages, Hardcover

Published June 6, 2022

Reviews

[Viola Baum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of philosophy that will always be relevant. The world would be a better place if more people new about the ethical importance of attention. Iris Murdoch and Simone Weil will always be inspiring.

[Philipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

After having read lots of mediocre papers on Murdoch´s philosophy, it makes me quite happy to read a book by someone who clearly knows what she is talking about.
Probably the most helpful ressource for my understanding of Murdoch´s concept of "attention".
Accessible and informative!
Only criticism: Why do so many Murdoch scholars disregard her literary work? Everyone is obsessively quoting Murdoch´s example of M and S while her novels are full of more interesting examples.