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Ideas of Iris Murdoch, by Text

[British, 1919 - 1998, Born in Dublin. Famous novelist. At Oxford University]

1959 The Sublime and the Good
p.205 p.205 We should first decide what are the great works of art, with aesthetic theory following from that
p.215 p.215 Love is realising something other than oneself is real
p.215 p.215 Art and morals are essentially the same, and are both identical with love
p.218 p.218 Because art is love, it improves us morally
p.218 p.218 Great art proves the absurdity of art for art's sake
1970 The Sovereignty of Good
I p.1 Love is a central concept in morals
I p.1 An unexamined life can be virtuous
I p.1 Philosophy must keep returning to the beginning
I p.1 Philosophy moves continually between elaborate theories and the obvious facts
I p.30 It is hard to learn goodness from others, because their virtues are part of their personal history
i p.34 Literature is the most important aspect of culture, because it teaches understanding of living
I p.35 Kantian existentialists care greatly for reasons for action, whereas Surrealists care nothing
I p.40 If I attend properly I will have no choices
II p.55 Moral philosophy needs a central concept with all the traditional attributes of God
II p.57 Moral reflection and experience gradually reveals unity in the moral world
II p.64 Appreciating beauty in art or nature opens up the good life, by restricting selfishness
II p.75 Ordinary human love is good evidence of transcendent goodness
III p.86 Art trains us in the love of virtue
III p.95 Only trivial virtues can be possessed on their own
III p.97 Only a philosopher might think choices create values
1983 Against Dryness: a polemical sketch
p.46 p.111 Man is a brave naked will, separate from a background of values and realities
1992 Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals
13 p.427 We know perfection when we see what is imperfect