Parfit

A Philosopher and His Mission to Save Morality

By: David Edmonds

Narrated by: Zeb Soanes

This audiobook narrated by Zeb Soanes paints an entertaining and illuminating portrait of a brilliant philosopher who tried to rescue morality from nihilism

Derek Parfit (1942–2017) is the most famous philosopher most people have never heard of. Widely regarded as one of the greatest moral thinkers of the past hundred years, Parfit was anything but a public intellectual. Yet his ideas have shaped the way philosophers think about things that affect us all: equality, altruism, what we owe to future generations, and even what it means to be a person. In Parfit, David Edmonds presents the first biography of an intriguing, obsessive, and eccentric genius.

Believing that we should be less concerned with ourselves and more with the common good, Parfit dedicated himself to the pursuit of philosophical progress to an extraordinary degree. He always wore gray trousers and a white shirt so as not to lose precious time picking out clothes, he varied his diet as little as possible, and he had only one serious non-philosophical interest: taking photos of Oxford, Venice, and St. Petersburg. In the latter half of his life, he single-mindedly devoted himself to a desperate attempt to rescue secular morality—morality without God—by arguing that it has an objective, rational basis. For Parfit, the stakes could scarcely have been higher. If he couldn’t demonstrate that there are objective facts about right and wrong, he believed, his life was futile and all our lives were meaningless.

Connecting Parfit’s work and life and offering a clear introduction to his profound and challenging ideas, Parfit is a powerful portrait of an extraordinary thinker who continues to have a remarkable influence on the world of ideas.

©2023 David Edmonds (P)2023 Princeton University Press

Critic reviews

“Picture in your head: ‘a philosopher.’ Does he have a wild mane of white hair? Does he ride an old-fashioned bike everywhere, speak in a British accent? Does he have eccentric habits, like carrying a vodka bottle full of water? Does he spend every second of his life trying to solve the most important problems of human existence, and is everyone who meets him in awe of his intellect? The person you imagined existed. His name was Derek Parfit, he was utterly fascinating and delightful and brilliant, and with this book David Edmonds has painted him a beautiful, thorough, and compelling portrait.”—Michael Schur, creator of The Good Place and author of How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question

“In his monumental biography of the moral philosopher Derek Parfit, David Edmonds renders the movements of a quicksilver mind, the allure of a charismatic personality, the drama of a cloistered life.”—Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind

“Although Derek Parfit led a uniquely cloistered existence, immersed in his work, his life was not without drama, as David Edmonds’s sympathetic but not uncritical biography shows. This is likely to be the definitive biography of this irresistibly intriguing, indefatigable, and finally elusive thinker: for many, the great moral philosopher of our time.”—Joyce Carol Oates

Helpful eccentric

His Unlimited help to other philosophic, colleagues and students was astounding. I understand his ignoring of some areas of philosophy, since they seem to be like grammar is used in the United States to teach writing. It is great that he achieved an academic position that allowed him financial freedom.

Excellent biography of a brilliant philosopher

This is a great and enjoyable description of the life and work of one of the greatest philosophers of all time, Derek Parfit. May many future generations remember him for his service to humanity.

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Meilleure biographie de philosophe que j’ai « lu » depuis celle de Wittgenstein par Monk. Je recommande!

Loved it

Really enjoyed this very engrossing review which captures the man, but also a lot of contemporary ethics and the world of cutting edge philosophy. Really well research and a story well told. Didn’t love the narrator because of the voice he gives to Parfit. Makes him sound like a daffy uncle instead of like a serious person taking positions on serious questions.