Background
Westermarck was born in Helsinki on November 20, 1862.
( Renowned Finnish scientist Edward Westermarck became wo...)
Renowned Finnish scientist Edward Westermarck became world-famous at the dawn of the 20 th century for his foundational works, The History of Human Marriage and Ethical Relativity . His research for his books led him into strange corners of the world, and on stranger adventures. Here he shares those adventures with characteristic verve and charm. His experiences in less developed civilizations are gripping, while his encounters with cultural leaders of his time, including William James, Max Müller, and Peter Kropotkin provide keen insight into the eras most interesting minds.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00086UQHS/?tag=2022091-20
( A thorough examination of many aspects of morality thro...)
A thorough examination of many aspects of morality through the lens of Christianity, this book, originally published in 1939, is philosophical in its approach to assessing religion. It compares moral traditions of many world religions and describes their changes over time as well. Written accessibly, this is a fascinating outlay of moral theology.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G6MOZZ2/?tag=2022091-20
(First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylo...)
First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007DLT14/?tag=2022091-20
(Mr. Westermarck sbook I am nsked by the publishers to say...)
Mr. Westermarck sbook I am nsked by the publishers to say a few words by way of introducing the work toE nglish readers. This I have great pleasure in doing, because I have seldom read a more thorough or a more philosophic discussion of some of the most difficult, and at the same time interesting problems of anthropology. The origin and development of human marriage have been discussed by such eminent writers as Darwin, Spencer, Morgan, Lubbock, and many others. On some of the more important questions involved in it all these writers are in general accord, and this agreement has led to their opinions being widely accepted as if they were well-established conclusions of science. But on several of these points Mr. Westermarck has arrived at different, and sometimes diametrically opposite, conclusions, and he has done so after a most complete and painstaking investigation of all the available facts. With such an array of authority on the one side and a hitherto unknown student on the other, it will certainly be thought that all the probabilities are against the latter. (Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.) About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology. Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the aged text. Read books online for free at www.forgottenbooks.org
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anthropologist philosopher sociologist
Westermarck was born in Helsinki on November 20, 1862.
He was an itinerant academic, doing his research at Helsinki University and in London and later holding chairs in moral philosophy at Helsinki (1906 - 1918), in sociology at the London School of Economics (1907 - 1930), and in philosophy at the �
bo Akademi (1918 - 1932). In The History of Human Marriage (1891; rev. ed. , 1921), Westermarck used cross-societal comparisons of customs to argue for the universality of marriage against the dominant view that the family developed by discrete stages from initial promiscuity. Influenced by Darwinian evolutionary theory, he treated social institutions as arising from social habits, habits as outgrowths of needs, and needs as biologically determined.
Intrigued by the tenacity of moral disagreement, Westermarck compiled, in The Origin and Development of the Moral Ideas (1906 - 1908) and Ethical Relativity (1932), empirical catalogues of moral practices to support his claim that morality ultimately has an emotional foundation. Yet moral judgments are not merely reports or expressions of feelings but unsuccessful attempts to objectify feelings. Reason has a role, albeit limited, in guiding the moral (retributive) emotions. The proper task of ethics is descriptive, not prescriptive. Above all, the social context of morality is important. However, society's lesson is essentially deceptive and subjective because there are no absolute moral principles.
Westermarck was one of the first anthropologists to emphasize fieldwork, and his influence on such pupils as Bronislaw Malinowski was immense. Years of firsthand observation in Morocco, resulting in Ritual and Belief in Morocco (1926) and other works, refuted ÉmileEmile Durkheim's criticism that Westermarck's reliance on social comparison prevented him from fully understanding any single society. Westermarck's last work was Christianity and Morals (1939), the culmination of a lifelong interest in religion, which he approached skeptically.
( A thorough examination of many aspects of morality thro...)
( Renowned Finnish scientist Edward Westermarck became wo...)
(First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylo...)
(Mr. Westermarck sbook I am nsked by the publishers to say...)
Quotations: "Society is the school in which men learn to distinguish between right and wrong. "