The Methods of Ethics

E317620

book work of moral philosophy

The Methods of Ethics is Henry Sidgwick’s seminal 1874 work of moral philosophy that systematically analyzes and compares major ethical theories, especially utilitarianism, intuitionism, and egoism.

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All labels observed (3)

Label	Occurrences
The Methods of Ethics canonical	4
Sidgwickian ethics	1
The Methods of Ethics (editorial and logical commentary)	1

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T3011561 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: The Methods of Ethics
Context triple: [Henry Sidgwick, notableWork, The Methods of Ethics]

A. The Principles of Ethics
The Principles of Ethics is a major philosophical work by Herbert Spencer that systematically develops his evolutionary theory of morality and ethical conduct.
B. The System of Ethics
The System of Ethics is a foundational philosophical work by Johann Gottlieb Fichte that systematically develops his idealist moral philosophy and theory of human freedom.
C. On the Basis of Morality
On the Basis of Morality is a philosophical treatise by Arthur Schopenhauer in which he argues that genuine ethics is grounded in compassion rather than rational duty or self-interest.
D. A System of Moral Philosophy
A System of Moral Philosophy is an influential 18th-century treatise that systematically presents Francis Hutcheson’s theories on ethics, human nature, and the foundations of moral judgment.
E. Outlines of Moral Philosophy
Outlines of Moral Philosophy is a foundational 18th-century work in moral philosophy by Scottish Enlightenment thinker Dugald Stewart, offering a systematic account of ethics, human nature, and moral reasoning.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: The Methods of Ethics
Target entity description: The Methods of Ethics is Henry Sidgwick’s seminal 1874 work of moral philosophy that systematically analyzes and compares major ethical theories, especially utilitarianism, intuitionism, and egoism.

A. The Principles of Ethics
The Principles of Ethics is a major philosophical work by Herbert Spencer that systematically develops his evolutionary theory of morality and ethical conduct.
B. The System of Ethics
The System of Ethics is a foundational philosophical work by Johann Gottlieb Fichte that systematically develops his idealist moral philosophy and theory of human freedom.
C. On the Basis of Morality
On the Basis of Morality is a philosophical treatise by Arthur Schopenhauer in which he argues that genuine ethics is grounded in compassion rather than rational duty or self-interest.
D. A System of Moral Philosophy
A System of Moral Philosophy is an influential 18th-century treatise that systematically presents Francis Hutcheson’s theories on ethics, human nature, and the foundations of moral judgment.
E. Outlines of Moral Philosophy
Outlines of Moral Philosophy is a foundational 18th-century work in moral philosophy by Scottish Enlightenment thinker Dugald Stewart, offering a systematic account of ethics, human nature, and moral reasoning.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (50)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	book ⓘ work of moral philosophy ⓘ
academicDiscipline	philosophy ⓘ
analyzes	methods of egoism ⓘ methods of intuitionism ⓘ methods of utilitarianism ⓘ
arguesFor	universalistic hedonistic utilitarianism ⓘ
author	Henry Sidgwick ⓘ
claims	there is a fundamental conflict between rational egoism and utilitarianism ⓘ
compares	common-sense morality and philosophical ethics ⓘ egoism and utilitarianism ⓘ intuitionism and utilitarianism ⓘ
countryOfOrigin	United Kingdom ⓘ
firstEditionPublicationYear	1874 ⓘ
followedBy	Outlines of the History of Ethics for English Readers ⓘ
genre	ethics ⓘ moral philosophy ⓘ
hasEdition	second edition ⓘ seventh edition ⓘ third edition ⓘ
influenced	20th-century analytic ethics ⓘ Bertrand Russell ⓘ Derek Parfit ⓘ G. E. Moore ⓘ
influencedBy	Aristotle ⓘ Immanuel Kant ⓘ Jeremy Bentham ⓘ John Stuart Mill ⓘ William Whewell ⓘ
isConsidered	Sidgwick’s major work ⓘ a classic of utilitarian ethics ⓘ
language	English ⓘ
mainTopic	common-sense morality ⓘ dualism of practical reason ⓘ ethical egoism ⓘ hedonism ⓘ intuitionism ⓘ moral reasoning ⓘ normative ethics ⓘ principle of utility ⓘ universal benevolence ⓘ utilitarianism ⓘ
notableConcept	dualism of practical reason ⓘ
philosophicalTradition	analytic ethics ⓘ classical utilitarianism ⓘ utilitarianism ⓘ
publicationYear	1874 ⓘ
publisher	Macmillan ⓘ linked to: Macmillan Publishers
setting	Victorian era moral philosophy ⓘ
structure	three main books ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Henry Sidgwick → notableWork → The Methods of Ethics ⓘ

subject linked to: Sidgwick

Outlines of the History of Ethics for English Readers → relatedWorkOfAuthor → The Methods of Ethics ⓘ

Five Types of Ethical Theory → relatedWork → The Methods of Ethics ⓘ

Alfred Sidgwick → notableWork → The Methods of Ethics (editorial and logical commentary) ⓘ

linked to: The Methods of Ethics

Roger Crisp → hasResearchInterest → Sidgwickian ethics ⓘ