About this book
Leslie Stephen's Social Rights and Duties, Volume I (of 2) — Addresses to Ethical Societies — challenges listeners to reevaluate the moral and social foundations of modern life through a sequence of clear, persuasive essays. Written and delivered in the late-Victorian era, these addresses probe the intersections of ethics, political economy, and emerging scientific thought.
Stephen surveys the aims of ethical societies, the relationship between science and politics, the proper scope of political economy, the morality of competition, and the case for social equality, all while situating his arguments in the social transformations of the 1890s. His style blends philosophical rigor with psychological insight and a scientific sensibility, offering thoughtful reflections rather than partisan prescriptions. The essays reveal how debates about individual duty, social rights, and the struggle for existence shaped modern ethical discourse.
Ideal for listeners interested in philosophy, psychology, intellectual history, or the social sciences, this audiobook provides historical perspective on ongoing questions about justice, cooperation, and public policy. Tune in to hear a foundational voice of Victorian thought that still resonates with contemporary discussions about society’s obligations to its members.
