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9780195162028

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Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. --INSight<br> A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. --Contemporary Sociology<br> An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. -- The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion<br> This is as good as books get: visionary yet rigorous, polemical yet constructive, bold yet careful, engaging yet precise. Smith argues that to be human is to be a moral believing animal interacting with a social and cultural order that is itself a moral order. His discussion, while aimed at his fellow social scientists and thoroughly engaged with their literature, is also deeply informed by recent philosophical discussions about belief and morality, and employs the results of those discussions with insight and unwavering sure-footedness. A masterful achievement. --Nicholas Wolterstorff, Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology, Yale University<br> Questions of culture, personhood, the nature of social action, and the meaning of moral commitments have all moved to the forefront of sociological concern. Christian Smith weaves together crucial threads of recent work, both identifying distinctively sociological issues and informing sociology with perspectives from philosophy, theology, and otherfields. His synthesis is clarifying, stimulating, and insightful. It should help to put the problem of moral order back at the center of disciplinary concern, where it was for Durkheim and where it belongs. --Craig Calhoun, Professor of Sociology and History, New York University; President, Social Science Research Council<br>

<br> Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. --INSight<br> A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. --Contemporary Sociology<br> An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. -- The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion<br> This is as good as books get: visionary yet rigorous, polemical yet constructive, bold yet careful, engaging yet precise. Smith argues that to be human is to be a moral believing animal interacting with a social and cultural order that is itself a moral order. His discussion, while aimed at his fellow social scienti

Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. --INSight A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. --Contemporary Sociology An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. --The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. --INSight A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. --Contemporary Sociology An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. --The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. --INSight A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. --Contemporary Sociology An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. -- The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion This is as good as books get: visionary yet rigorous, polemical yet constructive, bold yet careful, engaging yet precise. Smith argues that to be human is to be a moral believing animal interacting with a social and cultural order that is itself a moral order. His discussion, while aimed at his fellow social scientists and thoroughly engaged with their literature, is also deeply informed by recent philosophical discussions about belief and morality, and employs the results of those discussions with insight and unwavering sure-footedness. A masterful achievement. --Nicholas Wolterstorff, Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology, Yale University Questions of culture, personhood, the nature of social action, and the meaning of moral commitments have all moved to the forefront of sociological concern. Christian Smith weaves together crucial threads of recent work, both identifying distinctively sociological issues and informing sociology with perspectives from philosophy, theology, and otherfields. His synthesis is clarifying, stimulating, and insightful. It should help to put the problem of moral order back at the center of disciplinary concern, where it was for Durkheim and where it belongs. --Craig Calhoun, Professor of Sociology and History, New York University; President, Social Science Research Council Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. --INSight A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. --Contemporary Sociology An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. -- The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion This is as good as books get: visionary yet rigorous, polemical yet constructive, bold yet careful, engaging yet precise. Smith argues that to be human is to be a moral believing animal interacting with a social and cultural order that is itself a moral order. His discussion, while aimed at his fellow social scientists and thoroughly engaged with their literature, is also deeply informed by recent philosophical discussions about belief and morality, and employs the results of those discussions with insight and unwavering sure-footedness. A masterful achievement. --Nicholas Wolterstorff, Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology, Yale University Questions of culture, personhood, the nature of social action, and the meaning of moral commitments have all moved to the forefront of sociological concern. Christian Smith weaves together crucial threads of recent work, both identifying distinctively sociological issues and informingsociology with perspectives from philosophy, theology, and other fields. His synthesis is clarifying, stimulating, and insightful. It should help to put the problem of moral order back at the center of disciplinary concern, where it was for Durkheim and where it belongs. --Craig Calhoun, Professor of Sociology and History, New York University; President, Social Science Research Council Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. --INSight A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. --Contemporary Sociology An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. -- The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion This is as good as books get: visionary yet rigorous, polemical yet constructive, bold yet careful, engaging yet precise. Smith argues that to be human is to be a moral believing animal interacting with a social and cultural order that is itself a moral order. His discussion, while aimed at his fellow social scientists and thoroughly engaged with their literature, is also deeply informed by recent philosophical discussions about belief and morality, and employs the results of those discussions with insight and unwavering sure-footedness. A masterful achievement. --Nicholas Wolterstorff, Noah Porter Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology, Yale University Questions of culture, personhood, the nature of social action, and the meaning of moral commitments have all moved to the forefront of sociological concern. Christian Smith weaves together crucial threads of recent work, both identifying distinctively sociological issues and informing sociology with perspectives from philosophy, theology, andother fields. His synthesis is clarifying, stimulating, and insightful. It should help to put the problem of moral order back at the center of disciplinary concern, where it was for Durkheim and where it belongs. --Craig Calhoun, Professor of Sociology and History, New York University; President, Social Science Research Council

Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. --INSight A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. --Contemporary Sociology An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. --The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion

<br> Well written and clearly argued, Moral Believing Animals is both a searching critique of recent social theory and an important first step toward the articulation of a richer model of human personhood, motivation, and culture. <br>--INSight<p><br> A concise book that is enjoyable and easy to read, offering a far-reaching synthesis of a variety of philosophical and sociological approaches.... Smith masterfully situates many of the key current debates while calling attention to their historical origins and implicit assumptions. <br>--Contemporary Sociology<p><br> An admirable model of wide-ranging and rich yet focused scholarship. <br>--The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion<p><br>

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William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame

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