Literature and Ethics

There are a variety of ways in which canonical literature may influence our understanding and application of ethics. It may be read on a regular basis to promote and condition an ethical sensibility. It may provide vicarious experience that tests and develops ethical understanding. It can drive public opinion toward ethical changes in social circumstances. Such literature has been responsible for inspiring and strategizing ethical decisions made by individuals or groups. It has also shaped the way humans reflect about themselves (e.g., as ethical beings in possession of a conscience that needs regular exercise if they are to flourish). Such literature, however, may also have a normative role in shaping the development of ethical principles that in time may emerge as laws.