Terrifically Human

Is man a horrible, cruel animal, or is he a gentle, intelligent

being? Philosophers have had different answers to

these and other questions, and have formulated different

ethics on the basis of these answers. Volker Spierling

discusses eleven key ethical principles, refl ecting them

in the context of the transforming worldviews and revolutions of thinking.

Is man an unbelievably cruel beast, or a kind, sentient

being? Any philosophical position on ethics depends

on how this question is answered. While St. Augustine

thought that loving God produced goodness, Nietzsche

saw the will to life as the prime motor of our actions.

The book has eleven chapters, which are presented in

chronological order. Starting with key words on the lives

and works of selected philosophers, the chapters explain

their views in the context of their times whilst highlighting

the overall signifi cance of their arguments. The book

concludes with a summary of key motives from Socrates

to Adorno.