Trust, Ethics and Human Reason

Description

The variety of approaches to the concept of trust in philosophy reflects the fact that our worries are diverse, from the Hobbesian concern for the possibility of rational cooperation to Wittgenstein's treatment of the place of trust in knowledge. To speak of trust is not only to describe human action but also to take a perspective on it and to engage with it. Olli Lagerspetz breathes new life into the philosophical debate by showing how questions about trust are at the centre of any in-depth analyses of the nature of human agency and human rationality and that these issues, in turn, lie at the heart of philosophical ethics. Ideal for those grappling with these issues for the first time, Trust, Ethics and Human Reason provides a thorough and impassioned assessment of the concept of trust in moral philosophy.

Olli Lagerspetz is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at Abo Academy, Finland.

A very welcome addition to the discussion of a topic that is increasingly recognized as crucial to an adequate understanding of agency, rationality and ethics. Lagerspetz offers a useful survey of philosophical views of the place and importance of trust in human life, while making his own distinctive and valuable contribution to the discussion. This is essential reading for all working in these and related areas. * David Cockburn, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, UK * There is much to like about this book. And I have not done it justice in this brief review. I've not touched on Lagerspetz's engagement with the epistemology of testimony, or mentioned his introduction of Wittgenstein, K. E. Logstrup and Peter Winch into the trust debate. -- Paul Faulkner, University of Sheffield, UK * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *