Characteristicks of men, manners, opinions, times

Abstract

This edition of Charactersticks presents complete 1732 text of this classic work of philosophy and political theory. Also included are faithful reproductions of engravings that Shaftesbury created to facilitate reader's consideration of his meditations on interrelationships among truth, goodness, beauty, virtue, liberty, responsibility, society, and state. The grandson of founder and leader of English Whigs, and tutored by John Locke, Anthony Ashley Cooper, Third Earl of Shaftesbury (1671-1713) wrote this three-volume text, which was originally published in 1711. It was revised in 1714 to accommodate illustrations by Shaftesbury. Widely regarded as first exponent of view that ethics derives, not from reason alone, but from sentiment, Shaftesbury criticizes not only Locke but especially Hobbes for dim view that the state of is a war of all against all. To contrary, Shaftesbury argued that human nature responds most fully to representations of good, true and beautiful, and that human beings naturally desire society. In all of these reflections, he provides large scope for exercise of individual liberty and responsibility.

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