Essays on the Foundations of Ethics

He, C.I. Lewis, was one of the greatest American philosophers of the 20th century, known for his writings on logic and epistemology. After his retirement, he devoted his remaining years to the study of ethics and, in particular, to writing a study of ethics, not so much as a purely academic pursuit but more as a study of the foundational nature of ethics and its challenge to human life–a question that has bedeviled philosophers and non-philosophers for thousands of years. Sadly, Professor Lewis was never able to complete his work; he passed away before he completed it. But what he left behind are notes, drafts, and chapters of what he wanted to write, all of which have been brought together and edited by Professor John Lange. What we get are the bare bones, the structure of what would have been a monumental work in ethics, something that would have been used by students for decades but that has never been published until now. It’s unfortunate that Professor Lewis was not able to finish it because you can see the greatness in each individual essay/chapter, but it just lacks the connective tissue between them to make it all one coherent whole. Hopefully, even in its unfinished state, this will bring insight for students today.