From beginner-friendly introductions to classic books on moral psychology, this page features books to suit any learning style. It’s important to note that there is no single best book on moral psychology. The best book for you will depend heavily on your preferred learning style and the amount of time/energy you’re willing to spend reading. For example, if you tend to find classic works of philosophy difficult to understand, you might want to start with a short, beginner-friendly introduction. If you prefer more depth, you can choose a more comprehensive introduction or pick up one of the classics.
It’s also worth noting that it is not a list of personal recommendations. Personal book recommendations tend to be highly subjective, idiosyncratic, and unreliable. This list is part of a collection of over 100 philosophy reading lists which aim to provide a central resource for philosophy book recommendations. These lists were created by searching through hundreds of university course syllabi, internet encyclopedia bibliographies, and community recommendations. Links to the syllabi and other sources used to create this list are at the end of the post. Following these links will help you quickly find a broader range of options if the listed books do not fit what you are looking for.
Here are the best books on moral psychology in no particular order.
Moral Psychology: An Introduction – Mark Alfano
Category: Short Introduction | Length: 216 pages | Published: 2016
Publisher description: Moral psychology is the systematic inquiry into how morality works, when it does work, and breaks down when it doesn’t work.
In this comprehensive new textbook, Mark Alfano outlines the five central concepts in the study of moral psychology: agency, patiency, sociality, temporality, and reflexivity. Subsequent chapters each assess a key area of research, which Alfano relates both to the five central concepts and to empirical findings. He then draws out the philosophical implications of those findings before suggesting future directions for research.
One of Alfano’s guiding themes is that moral philosophy without psychological content is empty, whereas psychological investigation without philosophical insight is blind. He advocates and demonstrates a holistic vision that pictures moral psychology as a project of collaborative inquiry into the descriptive and normative aspects of the human condition….
Moral Psychology: A Contemporary Introduction – Valerie Tiberius
Category: General Introduction | Length: 256 pages | Published: 2014
Publisher description: This is the first philosophy textbook in moral psychology, introducing students to a range of philosophical topics and debates such as: What is moral motivation? Do reasons for action always depend on desires? Is emotion or reason at the heart of moral judgment? Under what conditions are people morally responsible? Are there self-interested reasons for people to be moral? Moral Psychology: A Contemporary Introduction presents research by philosophers and psychologists on these topics, and addresses the overarching question of how empirical research is (or is not) relevant to philosophical inquiry.
The Moral Psychology Handbook – John M. Doris
Category: Overview | Length: 506 pages | Published: 2012
Publisher description: The Moral Psychology Handbook offers a survey of contemporary moral psychology, integrating evidence and argument from philosophy and the human sciences. The chapters cover major issues in moral psychology, including moral reasoning, character, moral emotion, positive psychology, moral rules, the neural correlates of ethical judgment, and the attribution of moral responsibility. Each chapter is a collaborative effort, written jointly by leading researchers in the field.
Moral Psychology: Historical and Contemporary Readings – Nadelhoffer et al.
Category: Anthology | Length: 398 pages | Published: 2010
Publisher description: Moral Psychology: Historical and Contemporary Readings is the first book to bring together the most significant contemporary and historical works on the topic from both philosophy and psychology.
- Provides a comprehensive introduction to moral psychology, which is the study of psychological mechanisms and processes underlying ethics and morality
- Unique in bringing together contemporary texts by philosophers, psychologists and other cognitive scientists with foundational works from both philosophy and psychology
- Approaches moral psychology from an empirically informed perspective
- Explores a wide range of topics from passion and altruism to virtue and responsibility
- Editorial introductions to each section explain the background of and connections between the selections
The Republic – Plato
Category: Classic | Length: 382 pages
Publisher description: This is a completely new translation of one of the great works of Western political thought. In addition to Tom Griffith’s vivid, dignified and accurate rendition of Plato’s text, this edition is suitable for students at all levels. It contains an introduction that assesses the cultural background to the Republic, its place within political philosophy, and its general argument; succinct notes in the text; an analytical summary of content; a full glossary of proper names; a chronology of important events; and a guide to further reading.
Nichomachean Ethics – Aristotle
Category: Classic | Length: 368 pages
Publisher description: The Nicomachean Ethics is one of Aristotle’s most widely read and influential works. Ideas central to ethics—that happiness is the end of human endeavor, that moral virtue is formed through action and habituation, and that good action requires prudence—found their most powerful proponent in the person medieval scholars simply called “the Philosopher.” Drawing on their intimate knowledge of Aristotle’s thought, Robert C. Bartlett and Susan D. Collins have produced here an English-language translation of the Ethics that is as remarkably faithful to the original as it is graceful in its rendering.
Aristotle is well known for the precision with which he chooses his words, and in this elegant translation his work has found its ideal match. Bartlett and Collins provide copious notes and a glossary providing context and further explanation for students, as well as an introduction and a substantial interpretive essay that sketch central arguments of the work and the seminal place of Aristotle’s Ethics in his political philosophy as a whole….
Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals – David Hume
Category: Classic | Length: 304 pages
Publisher description: In this highly influential work, Hume sets out his theory of justice and benevolence and the other virtues and argues that morality is founded on the natural feelings or sentiments of humankind. The text printed in this edition is the Clarendon critical edition of Hume’s works. Designed especially for students, this volume includes detailed explanatory notes on the text, a glossary of terms, a full list of references, and a section of supplementary readings.
Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals – Immanuel Kant
Category: Classic | Length: 134 pages
Publisher description: Published in 1785, Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals ranks alongside Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics as one of the most profound and influential works in moral philosophy ever written. In Kant’s own words, its aim is to identify and corroborate the supreme principle of morality, the categorical imperative. He argues that human beings are ends in themselves, never to be used by anyone merely as a means, and that universal and unconditional obligations must be understood as an expression of the human capacity for autonomy and self-governance. As such, they are laws of freedom. This volume contains Mary Gregor’s acclaimed translation of the work, sympathetically revised by Jens Timmermann, and an accessible, updated introduction by Christine Korsgaard.
The following sources were used to build this list:
University Course Syllabi:
- Moral Psychology – New York University
- Moral Psychology – Yale University
Bibliographies:
Other Recommendations:
Additional Resources
You might also be interested in the following reading lists:
- The Best Introductory Philosophy Books
- The Best Introductory Books on Ethics
- The Best Philosophy Books on Happiness
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A History of Western Philosophy in 500 Essential Quotations – Lennox Johnson
Category: Reference | Length: 145 pages | Published: 2019
Publisher’s Description: A History of Western Philosophy in 500 Essential Quotations is a collection of the greatest thoughts from history’s greatest thinkers. Featuring classic quotations by Aristotle, Epicurus, David Hume, Friedrich Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell, Michel Foucault, and many more, A History of Western Philosophy in 500 Essential Quotations is ideal for anyone looking to quickly understand the fundamental ideas that have shaped the modern world.