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Papers by Elizabeth M Drummond Young
Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplement, 2015
I begin by examining the answer to a traditional puzzle concerning supererogatory acts: if they a... more I begin by examining the answer to a traditional puzzle concerning supererogatory acts: if they are good to do, why are they not required? The answer often given is that they are optional acts because they cost the agent too much. This view has parallels with the traditional view of religious sacrifice, which involves offering up something or someone valuable as a gift or victim and experiencing a ‘cost’ as part of the ritual. There are problems with the idea that costs justify the optional nature of supererogatory acts, however, and I suggest that these problems mirror the tensions that are found in Christian theology when a traditional view of sacrifice is adopted.
Religious Studies Review, 2006
Solidarity the Journal of Catholic Social Thought and Secular Ethics, 2013
Abstract: The paper demonstrates how Kolnai's philosophy can contribute to the current discussion... more Abstract:
The paper demonstrates how Kolnai's philosophy can contribute to the current discussion surrounding supererogatory acts. Kolnai's philosophy is at odds with much contemporary moral philosophy, resisting ideas of equality and homogeneity. Ridge and Archers' recent discussion of supererogation provides the critical backdrop for elucidating Kolnai's view and the paper shows how he engages with pluralism as part of his overall personalist view, whilst still retaining universal principles.
Love and Its Objects, 2014
International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 2013
Raimond Gaita's example of saintly love, in which the visit of a nun to psychiatric patients has ... more Raimond Gaita's example of saintly love, in which the visit of a nun to psychiatric patients has profound effects on him, has been criticised for being an odd and unconvincing example of saintliness. I defend Gaita against four specific criticisms; firstly, that the nun achieves nothing spectacular, but merely adopts a certain attitude towards people; secondly, that Gaita must already have certain beliefs for the example to work; thirdly, that to be acclaimed a saint requires a saintly biography, not just an incidence of good behaviour; and finally, that there is something oppressive about saintly behaviour. I consider that Gaita does indeed leave himself open to criticism on this last point by claiming that saints love impartially. I argue that his description of the example suggests rather that the customs and practices of partial love are at the heart of saintliness and not some form of 'life-denying' impartiality. If I am right, then this has the twofold effect of making saintliness appear achievable by ordinary mortals and explaining our feelings of wonder in the face of such saintly behaviour.
... philosophers who are not normally discussed together, the French phenomenologist Jean-LucMari... more ... philosophers who are not normally discussed together, the French phenomenologist Jean-LucMarion and a philosopher in a more analytic tradition, Raimond Gaita, much influenced by Wittgenstein and Simone Weil. Marion and Gaita both have love as a central theme in their ...
Book Reviews by Elizabeth M Drummond Young
Hospitality and Society vol 4 Issue 1 March 2014
Solidarity The Journal of Catholic Social Thought and Secular Ethics
Conference Presentations by Elizabeth M Drummond Young
There is a strain in philosophy which urges ‘creative attention’ on a moral agent as a way of und... more There is a strain in philosophy which urges ‘creative attention’ on a moral agent as a way of understanding, communicating with, and ultimately loving other people. (Weil, Murdoch, Nussbaum). This way of thinking stands in opposition to outcome based utilitarian theories where we are obliged to do something to bring about the best for the common good of others. What if we were to apply this method to the natural world, our environment, rather than just to other people? Would we find that there is a deeper response to current ecological issues, rather than the deaf ears which are usually are turned to alarmist calls for action?
Certain mystical traditions already hint at this route. Interpretations of the Ignatian spirituality exercises and a critique of Carmelite mysticism both demonstrate the value of contemplation of place, where we understand ourselves in relation to our immediate surroundings and find transcendence through immanence. These traditions also recognise the tension between contemplating the world alone in solitude and coming together to serve other people, but a way of resolving this tension lies in understanding our place in the world, rather than having an enhanced image of the ‘self’ (as, say, a rational agent).
Two major ideas in ecology are firstly that diversity will bring stability and secondly that understanding and supporting an organism’s role within a system will promote sustainability. My suggestion is that practising creative attention will reinforce both these points.
Love is often seen as either a selfish urge – the romantic couple pursuing their passion regardl... more Love is often seen as either a selfish urge – the romantic couple pursuing their passion regardless of the rest of the world – or as a universal and generalising requirement - ‘love your neighbour’, where everybody turns out to be your neighbour. I will look at another way in which love operates, which is to mark each of us out as an individual and in a way which retains or restores our dignity.
I explore two themes from Hannah Arendt’s work which concern alienation. First, Arendt claims tha... more I explore two themes from Hannah Arendt’s work which concern alienation. First, Arendt claims that we want to escape from the earth, our natural home; what drives this desire for physical alienation? Second, adopting a view from any point in the universe or the ‘view from nowhere’, has become the dominant way of scientific thinking, representing an alienation from a personal perspective on the world. What are the implications for our humanity of these two forms of alienation?
A sense of alienation is often a prompt to a spiritual quest. Yet many religious and secular form... more A sense of alienation is often a prompt to a spiritual quest. Yet many religious and secular forms of spirituality provoke just that very tension between feeling at home in this world and feeling alienated, with a yearning to be elsewhere where true fulfilment will be found. For example, Carmelites have struggled to resolve both their need for a solitary life in the desert, in which they are best placed to commune with God, and their obligation to show Christian love within a communal setting. In a more secular mode, Simone Weil recognised the need for a cultural rootedness in community, but still advocated the necessity for dwelling on universal truths, such as those found in mathematics. Hannah Arendt claimed that in modern times we are alienated from our physical world and from the true community of others. Her solution was to propose a better formed public life.
Some modern theologians have made significant interpretative changes to Christian teaching to take account of evolution (Mahoney, Johnson). This has given rise to a line of thought in which humans, through an enhanced moral sense which is itself the product of evolution, become increasingly involved in the ongoing process of creating the world as it too evolves. These writers also reject the concept of a deeply flawed ‘fallen’ human nature. I interpret their work to show that we can and should engage both with others and our environment with love and responsibility; in so doing, we will have an enriched spiritual life, but will also feel at home in the world.
A presentation at the Welsh Philosophical Society Annual Meeting in April 2016 What constitutes m... more A presentation at the Welsh Philosophical Society Annual Meeting in April 2016
What constitutes moral depth? Ridge and Archer (2014) have recently proposed that moral depth can help resolve a paradox related to supererogation, but they offer little by way of analysis, except to offer two routes to explore. The first suggests that moral depth may have to do with identification of moral values with the self in a particularly deep manner. The second proposes an identification with a moral principle (they cite equality ). I reject the second route but pursue the first, picking up on the work of John Kekes (referenced by Ridge and Archer). I also highlight the work of Aurel Kolnai in developing an analysis of moral depth. Kolnai (1900-1973) was a Hungarian philosopher who came to Britain in the 1950s and combined phenomenological and intuitionist themes in his work. His discussion on forgiveness allows me to suggest that moral depth and moral wisdom do not come apart, as they do in the rather exceptional example given by Ridge and Archer, but instead form part of moral virtue as a whole.
A presentation at an Event at the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace on Sa... more A presentation at an Event at the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace on Saturday May 9 2015
Kolnai's philosophy is put to use in the current philosophical discussion about supererogation.
Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplement, 2015
I begin by examining the answer to a traditional puzzle concerning supererogatory acts: if they a... more I begin by examining the answer to a traditional puzzle concerning supererogatory acts: if they are good to do, why are they not required? The answer often given is that they are optional acts because they cost the agent too much. This view has parallels with the traditional view of religious sacrifice, which involves offering up something or someone valuable as a gift or victim and experiencing a ‘cost’ as part of the ritual. There are problems with the idea that costs justify the optional nature of supererogatory acts, however, and I suggest that these problems mirror the tensions that are found in Christian theology when a traditional view of sacrifice is adopted.
Religious Studies Review, 2006
Solidarity the Journal of Catholic Social Thought and Secular Ethics, 2013
Abstract: The paper demonstrates how Kolnai's philosophy can contribute to the current discussion... more Abstract:
The paper demonstrates how Kolnai's philosophy can contribute to the current discussion surrounding supererogatory acts. Kolnai's philosophy is at odds with much contemporary moral philosophy, resisting ideas of equality and homogeneity. Ridge and Archers' recent discussion of supererogation provides the critical backdrop for elucidating Kolnai's view and the paper shows how he engages with pluralism as part of his overall personalist view, whilst still retaining universal principles.
Love and Its Objects, 2014
International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 2013
Raimond Gaita's example of saintly love, in which the visit of a nun to psychiatric patients has ... more Raimond Gaita's example of saintly love, in which the visit of a nun to psychiatric patients has profound effects on him, has been criticised for being an odd and unconvincing example of saintliness. I defend Gaita against four specific criticisms; firstly, that the nun achieves nothing spectacular, but merely adopts a certain attitude towards people; secondly, that Gaita must already have certain beliefs for the example to work; thirdly, that to be acclaimed a saint requires a saintly biography, not just an incidence of good behaviour; and finally, that there is something oppressive about saintly behaviour. I consider that Gaita does indeed leave himself open to criticism on this last point by claiming that saints love impartially. I argue that his description of the example suggests rather that the customs and practices of partial love are at the heart of saintliness and not some form of 'life-denying' impartiality. If I am right, then this has the twofold effect of making saintliness appear achievable by ordinary mortals and explaining our feelings of wonder in the face of such saintly behaviour.
... philosophers who are not normally discussed together, the French phenomenologist Jean-LucMari... more ... philosophers who are not normally discussed together, the French phenomenologist Jean-LucMarion and a philosopher in a more analytic tradition, Raimond Gaita, much influenced by Wittgenstein and Simone Weil. Marion and Gaita both have love as a central theme in their ...
Hospitality and Society vol 4 Issue 1 March 2014
Solidarity The Journal of Catholic Social Thought and Secular Ethics
There is a strain in philosophy which urges ‘creative attention’ on a moral agent as a way of und... more There is a strain in philosophy which urges ‘creative attention’ on a moral agent as a way of understanding, communicating with, and ultimately loving other people. (Weil, Murdoch, Nussbaum). This way of thinking stands in opposition to outcome based utilitarian theories where we are obliged to do something to bring about the best for the common good of others. What if we were to apply this method to the natural world, our environment, rather than just to other people? Would we find that there is a deeper response to current ecological issues, rather than the deaf ears which are usually are turned to alarmist calls for action?
Certain mystical traditions already hint at this route. Interpretations of the Ignatian spirituality exercises and a critique of Carmelite mysticism both demonstrate the value of contemplation of place, where we understand ourselves in relation to our immediate surroundings and find transcendence through immanence. These traditions also recognise the tension between contemplating the world alone in solitude and coming together to serve other people, but a way of resolving this tension lies in understanding our place in the world, rather than having an enhanced image of the ‘self’ (as, say, a rational agent).
Two major ideas in ecology are firstly that diversity will bring stability and secondly that understanding and supporting an organism’s role within a system will promote sustainability. My suggestion is that practising creative attention will reinforce both these points.
Love is often seen as either a selfish urge – the romantic couple pursuing their passion regardl... more Love is often seen as either a selfish urge – the romantic couple pursuing their passion regardless of the rest of the world – or as a universal and generalising requirement - ‘love your neighbour’, where everybody turns out to be your neighbour. I will look at another way in which love operates, which is to mark each of us out as an individual and in a way which retains or restores our dignity.
I explore two themes from Hannah Arendt’s work which concern alienation. First, Arendt claims tha... more I explore two themes from Hannah Arendt’s work which concern alienation. First, Arendt claims that we want to escape from the earth, our natural home; what drives this desire for physical alienation? Second, adopting a view from any point in the universe or the ‘view from nowhere’, has become the dominant way of scientific thinking, representing an alienation from a personal perspective on the world. What are the implications for our humanity of these two forms of alienation?
A sense of alienation is often a prompt to a spiritual quest. Yet many religious and secular form... more A sense of alienation is often a prompt to a spiritual quest. Yet many religious and secular forms of spirituality provoke just that very tension between feeling at home in this world and feeling alienated, with a yearning to be elsewhere where true fulfilment will be found. For example, Carmelites have struggled to resolve both their need for a solitary life in the desert, in which they are best placed to commune with God, and their obligation to show Christian love within a communal setting. In a more secular mode, Simone Weil recognised the need for a cultural rootedness in community, but still advocated the necessity for dwelling on universal truths, such as those found in mathematics. Hannah Arendt claimed that in modern times we are alienated from our physical world and from the true community of others. Her solution was to propose a better formed public life.
Some modern theologians have made significant interpretative changes to Christian teaching to take account of evolution (Mahoney, Johnson). This has given rise to a line of thought in which humans, through an enhanced moral sense which is itself the product of evolution, become increasingly involved in the ongoing process of creating the world as it too evolves. These writers also reject the concept of a deeply flawed ‘fallen’ human nature. I interpret their work to show that we can and should engage both with others and our environment with love and responsibility; in so doing, we will have an enriched spiritual life, but will also feel at home in the world.
A presentation at the Welsh Philosophical Society Annual Meeting in April 2016 What constitutes m... more A presentation at the Welsh Philosophical Society Annual Meeting in April 2016
What constitutes moral depth? Ridge and Archer (2014) have recently proposed that moral depth can help resolve a paradox related to supererogation, but they offer little by way of analysis, except to offer two routes to explore. The first suggests that moral depth may have to do with identification of moral values with the self in a particularly deep manner. The second proposes an identification with a moral principle (they cite equality ). I reject the second route but pursue the first, picking up on the work of John Kekes (referenced by Ridge and Archer). I also highlight the work of Aurel Kolnai in developing an analysis of moral depth. Kolnai (1900-1973) was a Hungarian philosopher who came to Britain in the 1950s and combined phenomenological and intuitionist themes in his work. His discussion on forgiveness allows me to suggest that moral depth and moral wisdom do not come apart, as they do in the rather exceptional example given by Ridge and Archer, but instead form part of moral virtue as a whole.
A presentation at an Event at the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace on Sa... more A presentation at an Event at the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace on Saturday May 9 2015
Kolnai's philosophy is put to use in the current philosophical discussion about supererogation.
Paper given at the University of Hertfordshire as invited speaker 'Love's Passion' September 2104
Paper given at a Royal Institute of Philosophy Conference on 'Supererogation' at University Colle... more Paper given at a Royal Institute of Philosophy Conference on 'Supererogation' at University College Dublin September 2014
I use some of the themes from Jean-Luc Marion's book 'The Erotic phenomenon' to discuss Helm's vi... more I use some of the themes from Jean-Luc Marion's book 'The Erotic phenomenon' to discuss Helm's views on love and friendship