The Contradictions of Modern Moral Philosophy is a highly original and radical critique of contemporary moral theory. Paul Johnston skillfully demonstrates how much of recent moral philosophy runs aground on the issue of whether we can make correct moral judgements. His analysis begins with an insightful discussion of the divisions within moral philosophy. On the one hand many philosophers deny that it is possible to make correct judgements on other people''s actions; on the other, they remain preoccupied with distinguishing between what is ''right'' and ''wrong''.
Paul Johnston shows how much recent moral philosophy consists of unsuccessful attempts to eliminate this contradiction. Rather than try to resolve it, he argues than we cannot reach a solution to the problem of moral judgements by conceptual analysis. Instead, each individual must decide which position is correct. Based on the work of Wittgenstein and drawing from the thought of important contemporary moral theorists, such as Bernard Williams, Alasdair MacIntyre, Thomas Nagel and Charles Taylor, Paul Johnston presents us with a compelling picture of one of the key problems confronting moral theory today.