Publisher Description

A 2022 Choice Reviews Outstanding Academic Title

The Moral Psychology of Hate provides the first systematic introduction to the moral psychology of hate compiling specially commissioned essays by an international team of scholars with a wide range of disciplinary orientations. In light of the recent revival of interest in emotions in academic philosophy, and the current social and political interest in hate, this volume provides arguments for and against the value of hate through a combination of empirical and philosophical methods. The authors examine hate not merely as a destructive feeling but as an emotion of great moral significance that illuminates how we understand each other and ourselves. The book will be of major interest to anyone concerned with the dynamics and the moral and political implications of this most powerful of human emotions.

Author Biography

Noell Birondo is professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at El Paso. He works primarily in moral philosophy and the history of ethics. His previous book is Virtue's Reasons: New Essays on Virtue, Character, and Reasons (2017), which he coedited with S. Stewart Braun. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame and his B.A. at the University of California, Berkeley.

Review

This volume edited by Birondo features 11 strong explorations of hate as an emotion and cognitive disposition, with contributions from various disciplines including philosophy, psychology, and others. Rivka Weinberg's preface ("The Road to Auschwitz Wasn't Paved with Indifference") provides substance that equals the depth of the chapters [and] sets the tone for a volume that explores the moral dimensions of hate in depth and with great contributions. Highly recommended. * Choice Reviews *
How do hate and hatred differ from rage, contempt, and disgust? What are the causes of racist hate, misogyny, and hatred of immigrants? What can we learn from Aristotle, Buddha, and Kant about hatred? Are trashing and canceling motivated by hate? Is there such a thing as deserved hate? This fantastic collection answers these questions and others about the ubiquitous, but undertheorized emotion of hate. -- Owen Flanagan, James B. Duke University professor of philosophy, Duke University, author, How to Do Things with Emotions: The Morality of Anger and Shame Across Cultures
This is a highly welcome addition to hate studies, complementing the usual focus on the psychology of hatred with a distinctively philosophical angle. A particularly noteworthy feature of the volume is that it not only tackles the destructive nature of hatred but equally ponders its potential morality. Moreover, it also engages with the non-Western philosophical tradition. Essential reading both for experts and those who seek an overview on this all-too-human sentiment. -- Thomas Szanto, University of Copenhagen
This wonderful volume explores the many arresting dimensions of hatred, its challenges, and its importance to our shared lives. Every chapter is rewarding. This volume is the place to start if you want to get a handle on the oftentimes surprising and diverse ways hatred matters for morality. -- Manuel Vargas, University of California, San Diego
[A]n excellent new volume … As a social scientist I learned a lot from this book about how hate develops, persists, and guides actions. The Moral Psychology of Hate will stimulate important conversations and considerations about all these issues, so topical yet so fundamental. * Philosophical Psychology *

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