b. 1941
Michael Slote (born 1941) is an American moral philosopher and UST Professor of Ethics at the University of Miami, known for his work in virtue ethics, care ethics, and moral sentimentalism. He has developed an empathy-based account of morality that draws on Humean sentimentalism and feminist care ethics to ground normative theory in emotional responsiveness rather than reason. His work spans free will, agent-relative ethics, and the moral significance of gender.
Developed an empathy-based moral sentimentalism as an alternative to rationalist ethical theories
Advanced care ethics into a systematic philosophical framework in works such as 'The Ethics of Care and Empathy'
Argued for agent-relative virtue ethics in 'Morals from Motives', challenging consequentialist impartiality
Contributed to debates on free will by linking them inseparably to metaphysical and ethical commitments
Integrated feminist concerns about women's opportunities into mainstream analytic moral philosophy