Preacher for the age of absurdity : morality in the novels of Kurt Vonnegut

The purpose of this study was to examine the moral imagination of Kurt Vonnegut and attempt to determine its philosophical basis. This topic was previously only mentioned briefly in the course of other studies, and no one had ever attempted to examine the scope of Vonnegut’s moral vision. This moral vision was examined within the categories of government, technology, violence, economics, and religion. It was concluded that Vonnegut’s vision is based upon the philosophy of humanism: Man is sacred and must be preserved. To this end, Vonnegut advocates a more democratic and selfless form of government, the deemphasis of technology, a more moral scientific responsibility, global pacifism, a socialist economic system, a new religion based on humanism which emphasizes love for all people, and, finally, a return to large extended families. Although Vonnegut acknowledges that this moral vision is unlikely to be instituted on a large enough scale to really change anything due to complexity of an absurd, mechanized, and dehumanized society, he believes it is the moral responsibility of every individual to attempt it. He concludes that the future of mankind depends upon a return to humanistic values.Thesis (M.A.