The Evil Within: Why We Need Moral Philosophy

Thomas Jefferson and Edward Coles were men of similar backgrounds, yet they diverged on the central moral wrong of this country's history: the former remained a self-justified slave-holder, while the latter emancipated his slaves. What led these men of the same era to choose such different paths? They represent one of numerous examples in this work wherein examining the ways in which people who perform wrong and even evil actions attempt to justify those actions both to others and to themselves illuminates the mistakes that we ourselves make in moral reasoning. How do we justify moral wrongdoing to ourselves? Do we even notice when we are doing so? The Evil Within demonstrates that the study of moral philosophy can help us to identify and correct for such mistakes. In applying the tools of moral philosophy to case studies of Nazi death camp commandants, American slave-holders, and a psychopathic serial killer, Diane Jeske shows how we can become wiser moral deliberators. A series of case studies serve as extended real-life thought experiments of moral deliberation gone awry, and show us how four impediments to effective moral deliberation -- cultural norms and pressures, the complexity of the consequences of our actions, emotions, and self-deception -- can be identified and overcome by the study and application of moral philosophy. Jeske unsparingly examines the uncomfortable parellels between the moral deliberations of those who are transparently evil (e.g. psychopaths, Nazis), and our own moral justifications. The Evil Within ultimately argues for incorporating moral philosophy into moral education, so that its tools can become common currency in moral deliberation, discussion, and debate.

About the Author :
Diane Jeske is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Iowa, where she has taught since 1992. She received her PhD at MIT. Her publications have focused on issues concerning the nature of friendship and our obligations to friends and other intimates. She is the author of Rationality and Moral Theory: How Intimacy Generates Reasons (Routledge, 2008).

Review :
"Does moral philosophy matter? In this brilliantly clear, accessible book, Diane Jeske employs real-life cases to show how moral self-deception leads us astray. Being better people requires better moral thinking. Everyone should read this challenging book." -- David McNaughton, Florida State University "The Evil Within made me both feel deeply and think carefully. By drawing on interviews, memoirs, and biographies, Jeske offers gripping stories about several figures -slave holders, Nazis, and one psychopathic serial killer- who are quite bad people, but she doesn't let the reader simply condemn and dismiss these characters with the comforting thought that 'at least I could never be like them.' On the contrary, Jeske challenges every reader to look within and ask themselves what they may have in common with people who are complicit with evil. Moral philosophy, she argues, helps with this self-scrutiny: to become better people, we need to understand both what makes an action wrong and what may lead us to perform actions that we know are wrong. This book is for anyone ready to engage in the tough work of assessing ourselves morally and trying to be better." -- Lisa Tessman, Binghamton University, author of When Doing the Right Thing is Impossible (OUP, 2017) "Diane Jeske's penetrating study of evil is the philosophical equivalent of an action-packed thriller. Few theoretical contributions are so riveting, so engrossing, so seductive that they cannot be put down. Jeske's book is that rare exception. Through vivid case studies that range from Nazis to American presidents, from slave owners to serial killers, Jeske delves into the moral dimensions of evil, the psychological devices that enable it to flourish, the grounds upon which it is legitimately excused, and the conditions under which even the best of us might succumb to its temptations. Her new philosophical moves invigorate old moral debates and her use of the tragic choices and compromised commitments of famous people reveal how frighteningly thin the line can be between good and evil. Jeske's book is a haunting reminder that living on the right side of that line requires not just moral knowledge but vigilant stewardship of one's character." -- Heidi M. Hurd, University of Illinois