Derek Parfit

Derek Parfit was a renowned British philosopher who specialized in personal identity, rationality, and ethics. He is best known for his book 'Reasons and Persons', which challenges common intuitions about personal identity and moral responsibility. Parfit's work has had a significant influence on moral philosophy and the study of ethics.

Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. Reasons And Persons

    Cover of 'Reasons And Persons' by Derek Parfit

    This philosophical work challenges traditional notions of self-interest, rationality, and ethics, arguing that our conventional understanding of these concepts is deeply flawed. The author proposes that the boundaries of personal identity are less clear-cut than we might think, leading to profound implications for moral responsibility and the ethics of future generations. Through rigorous analysis and thought experiments, including the famous "repugnant conclusion," the book pushes readers to reconsider the basis of morality and the ways in which we consider the interests of ourselves and others, ultimately suggesting that reasons and persons are intricately connected in the fabric of ethical reasoning.

    The 5075th Greatest Book of All Time