Jonathan Glover
Jonathan Glover: A Life of Moral Reflection and Action
Full Name and Common Aliases
Jonathan Glover is a British philosopher, psychologist, and writer known for his work on moral philosophy, war crimes, and human rights.
Birth and Death Dates
Born in 1939 in London, England, Glover's life has spanned over seven decades. He is still active in academia and public discourse.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Glover holds British nationality and has worked as a philosopher, psychologist, and writer. His professional affiliations include serving as the President of the Royal Institute of Philosophy and a fellow at St John's College, Cambridge.
Early Life and Background
Growing up during World War II significantly influenced Glover's perspective on morality and human rights. He witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of war on civilians, an experience that would shape his future work. Glover studied philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) at Oxford University, where he developed a strong interest in ethics.
Major Accomplishments
Glover's contributions to moral philosophy are substantial:
War Crimes: His book "Humanity: A Moral History of the 20th Century" explores the nature of war crimes and their impact on humanity. This work is considered a seminal contribution to the field of human rights.
Psychology and Ethics: Glover's research in psychology has informed his approach to ethics, recognizing the importance of understanding human behavior and decision-making processes.
Notable Works or Actions
Some notable works include:
"Humanity: A Moral History of the 20th Century" (2000) - This book examines the evolution of moral thought throughout the 20th century, highlighting key events and figures.
"Choosing for Humanity: Trends Reflecting Global Trends in Bioethics" (2014) - In this collection of essays, Glover addresses contemporary bioethical issues, drawing on his expertise in both philosophy and psychology.
Impact and Legacy
Glover's work has had a lasting impact on the fields of moral philosophy, human rights, and bioethics. His ability to bridge theoretical insights with practical applications has made him a respected voice in academia and public discourse. Through his writings, Glover continues to inspire reflection on the complexities of human behavior and the importance of upholding moral standards.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Glover's influence stems from several factors:
Interdisciplinary Approach: By integrating philosophy, psychology, and history, Glover offers a comprehensive understanding of moral issues.
Practical Applications: His work is grounded in real-world problems, making his ideas more accessible and relevant to a broad audience.
* Engagement with Public Policy: Through his writings and public appearances, Glover has successfully bridged the gap between academic theory and policy-making.
Quotes by Jonathan Glover
Jonathan Glover's insights on:
Some of the world’s violent conflicts are mainly economic, territorial or tribal. But many seem to come, at least in part, from conflicts between the belief systems of different groups.
The bloody massacre in Bangladesh quickly covered the memory of the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia, the assassination of Allende drowned out the groans of Bangladesh, the war in the Sinai desert made people forget Allende, the Cambodian massacre made people forget Sinai, and so on and so forth until ultimately everyone lets everything be forgotten.
The hardest – the part that’s hard is to kill, but once you kill, that becomes easier, to kill the next person and the next one and the next one.” -Varnado Simpson, Charlie Company of My Lai.
Stalin’s Russia was a trap, in which even those running the system were caught. The leaders were trapped by fear of Stalin and even he was trapped by his fear of their desire to be rid of him. Everything he had to eat or drink had to be tasted by one of his colleagues first. Beria’s behavior at his death showed that his fear was only partly paranoia.
Sir Edward Grey echoed this: More than one true thing may be said about the causes of the war, but the statement that comprises most truth is that militarism and the armaments inseparable from it made war inevitable. Armaments were intended to produce a sense of security in each nation – that was the justification put forward in defence of them. What they really did was to produce fear in everybody.
![The genocide [in Rwanda] was not a spontaneous eruption of tribal hatred, it was planned by people wanting to keep power. There was a long government-led hat campaign against the Tutsis.](/_vercel/image?url=https:%2F%2Flakl0ama8n6qbptj.public.blob.vercel-storage.com%2Fquotes%2Fquote-610244.png&w=1536&q=100)
The genocide [in Rwanda] was not a spontaneous eruption of tribal hatred, it was planned by people wanting to keep power. There was a long government-led hat campaign against the Tutsis.
Stalin’s teachings about gradual, concealed, unnoticeable quantitative changes leading to rapid, radical, qualitative changes permitted Soviet biologists to discover in plants the realization of such qualitative transitions that one species could be transformed into another’… The slide away from truth-directed science had disastrous results in agriculture. It was also humanly disastrous. Biologists who disagreed were shot or imprisoned.
A central part of the torturer’s craft is to make his job easier by stripping the victim of protective dignity.