Abstract:
Anger is all the rage. Philosophical interest in anger has skyrocketed in recent years as metaethicists, normative ethicists, and political theorists have reconnected with their emotions. Unsurprisingly, the philosophical community is divided over the value of anger and its significance for moral theorising. On one side stand critics like Flanagan (2021) and Nussbaum (2016) who argue that anger is detrimental, clouding judgment and disturbing the peace. On the other stand cheerleaders like Cherry (2021) and Thomason (2024) who contend that anger is good for us, both individually and collectively. Many of the cheerleaders focus on anger’s value for women, ethnic minorities, and other victims of injustice. By so doing, they draw attention to important features of anger. But other features have been left in shadow. This paper attempts to illuminate some of them by shining a spotlight on a different demographic, namely, angry old men. Doing so gives us reason to reconsider anger’s place in both ethical theory and excellent lives.
