This is an extraordinary book. Given the breadth and the depth of TheDevelopment of Ethics, it is hard to imagine how Irwin read and thought through such a vertigo-inducing expanse of material from a huge swath of primary texts with such philosophical precision and insight. The book as a whole induces awe in the Aristotelian sense: a kind of marvel bridging wonder and terror. And it induces shame in a reviewer, since as a reviewer, one is continually made aware that one does not know much of the material nearly as well as Irwin does, and some of it not at all. This review can only hint at the breadth and the deep interest of the volume, and unfortunately my treatment will of necessity be piecemeal. It will also highlight disagreements, as is the fashion of philosophers.

In the introduction to the three volumes of The Development of...

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