Wealth, virtue, and moral luck : Christian ethics in an age of inequality /

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Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator:Ward, Kate, 1983- author.
Imprint:Washington, DC : Georgetown University Press, [2021]
Description:xii, 265 pages ; 23 cm.
Language:English
Series:Moral traditions series
Moral traditions series.
Subject:
Format: Print Book
URL for this record:http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/12709806
Hidden Bibliographic Details
ISBN:9781647121372
164712137X
9781647121389
1647121388
9781647121396
Notes:Includes bibliographical references (pages 233-258) and index.
Summary:"In this book, Kate Ward addresses the issue of inequality from the perspective of Christian virtue ethics. Her unique contribution is to argue that moral luck, our individual life circumstances, affects one's ability to pursue virtue. She argues that economic status functions as moral luck and impedes the ability of both the wealthy and the impoverished to pursue virtues such as prudence, justice, and temperance. The book presents social science evidence that inequality reduces empathy for others' suffering, and increases violence, fear, and the desire to punish others. For the wealthy, inequality creates "hyperagency" - abundant freedom, power, and choice beyond that enjoyed by other members of society. For the poor, scarcity of time, money, and other important goods can also impair their ability to pursue virtue. Having established the theological harm caused by inequality, Ward then makes the argument that both individual Christians and Christian communities have obligations to address the impact of inequality. As individuals, Christians should pursue what Ward calls encounter, conversion, and contentment. Encounter means genuinely reaching out to the less fortunate and spending enough time to get to know individuals as human beings. For Ward, conversion means informing oneself about the realities of poverty and inequality. Contentment means being satisfied with one's position and not striving for more material wealth. Christian communities, in Ward's view, have obligations to pursue political action, tithing, and aid, and to foster encounters in parishes and educational settings"--
Other form:Online version: Ward, Kate, 1983- Wealth, virtue, and moral luck Washington, DC : Georgetown University Press, 2021. 9781647121396

MARC

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100 1 |a Ward, Kate,  |d 1983-  |e author. 
245 1 0 |a Wealth, virtue, and moral luck :  |b Christian ethics in an age of inequality /  |c Kate Ward. 
264 1 |a Washington, DC :  |b Georgetown University Press,  |c [2021] 
300 |a xii, 265 pages ;  |c 23 cm. 
336 |a text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a unmediated  |b n  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a volume  |b nc  |2 rdacarrier 
490 1 |a Moral traditions series 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references (pages 233-258) and index. 
505 0 |a Introduction: Reframing the problem of inequality -- Groundwork -- Christian virtue ethics -- Toward a Christian virtue account of moral luck -- Defining wealth and poverty for Christian virtue ethics -- Wealth, virtue, and the dangers of hyperagency -- Poverty, virtue, and the impact of scarcity -- Inequality and virtue. 
520 |a "In this book, Kate Ward addresses the issue of inequality from the perspective of Christian virtue ethics. Her unique contribution is to argue that moral luck, our individual life circumstances, affects one's ability to pursue virtue. She argues that economic status functions as moral luck and impedes the ability of both the wealthy and the impoverished to pursue virtues such as prudence, justice, and temperance. The book presents social science evidence that inequality reduces empathy for others' suffering, and increases violence, fear, and the desire to punish others. For the wealthy, inequality creates "hyperagency" - abundant freedom, power, and choice beyond that enjoyed by other members of society. For the poor, scarcity of time, money, and other important goods can also impair their ability to pursue virtue. Having established the theological harm caused by inequality, Ward then makes the argument that both individual Christians and Christian communities have obligations to address the impact of inequality. As individuals, Christians should pursue what Ward calls encounter, conversion, and contentment. Encounter means genuinely reaching out to the less fortunate and spending enough time to get to know individuals as human beings. For Ward, conversion means informing oneself about the realities of poverty and inequality. Contentment means being satisfied with one's position and not striving for more material wealth. Christian communities, in Ward's view, have obligations to pursue political action, tithing, and aid, and to foster encounters in parishes and educational settings"--  |c Provided by publisher. 
650 0 |a Christian ethics. 
650 0 |a Equality  |x Moral and ethical aspects. 
650 0 |a Wealth  |x Moral and ethical aspects. 
650 0 |a Poverty  |x Moral and ethical aspects. 
650 7 |a Christian ethics.  |2 fast  |0 (OCoLC)fst00859107 
650 7 |a Equality  |x Moral and ethical aspects.  |2 fast  |0 (OCoLC)fst00914466 
650 7 |a Poverty  |x Moral and ethical aspects.  |2 fast  |0 (OCoLC)fst01074113 
650 7 |a Wealth  |x Moral and ethical aspects.  |2 fast  |0 (OCoLC)fst01172982 
776 0 8 |i Online version:  |a Ward, Kate, 1983-  |t Wealth, virtue, and moral luck  |d Washington, DC : Georgetown University Press, 2021.  |z 9781647121396  |w (DLC) 2021001963 
830 0 |a Moral traditions series. 
929 |a cat 
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927 |t Library of Congress classification  |a BJ1275.W36 2021  |l JRL  |c JRL-Gen  |e BUSC  |b 117644036  |i 10370317