Virtue and the Making of Modern Liberalism

This work explores the complex issues at the heart of contemporary philosophy and public discussion. Drawing on recent scholarship and classical political philosophy, the author provides analyses of four central figures in the making of modern liberalism: Hobbes, Locke, Kant and Mill.

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Virtue has been rediscovered in the United States as a subject of public debate and of philosophical inquiry. Politicians from both parties, leading intellectuals, and concerned citizens from diverse backgrounds are addressing questions about the content of our character. Here Peter Berkowitz clarifies the fundamental issues, arguing that a certain ambivalence toward virtue reflects the liberal spirit at its best. He makes his case with penetrating analyses of four central figures in the making of modern liberalism: Hobbes, Locke, Kant, and Mill.