Moral Sentiments in Modern Society : : A New Answer to Classical Questions / / ed. by Gabriël van den Brink.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter AUP eBook Package 2016-2018
• MitwirkendeR: Bakker, Wieger,; Borgman, Erik,; Brink, Gabriël van den,; Dekker, Paul,; Halman, Loek,; Ingen, Erik van,; Luijn, Heleen van,; Maalsté, Nicole,; Mare, Heidi de,; Woets, Karen,
• HerausgeberIn: van den Brink, Gabriël,
• Place / Publishing House: Amsterdam : : Amsterdam University Press, , [2016]; ©2015
• Year of Publication: 2016
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (492 p.) :; 10 halftones, 62 line drawings

Since the time of Adam Smith, scholars have tried to understand the role moral sentiments play in modern life, an issue that became especially urgent during and after the 2008 global financial crisis. Previous explanations have ranged from the idea that modern society is built on moral values to the notion that modernization results in moral decay. The essays in this interdisciplinary volume use the example of Dutch society and a wealth of empirical data to propose a novel theory about the ambivalent relation between contemporary life and human nature. In the process, the contributors argue for the need to reject simplistic explanations and reinvent civil society.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Table of Contents -- Introduction -- Part 1 -- 1. Research questions and theoretical framework -- 2. An archaeology of altruistic behaviour -- Part 2 -- 3. The Netherlands as a liquid society -- 4. The hardening of the social climate -- Part 3 -- 5. The truly important things in life -- 6. Changes in norms and values -- Part 4 -- 7. The role of ideals in professional life -- 8. Moral imagination at work -- Part 5 -- 9 Signs of moral resilience -- 10. Europe and modern morality -- Part 6 -- 11. An outline of modern morality -- 12 Reinventing civil society -- Bibliography -- Index