The ethics of Hercules : A study of man's body as the sole determinant of ethical values

The book treats ethics as a branch of natural science, arguing that our moral judgments are inseparable from the mechanics of the human body. Drawing on physiology and mechanistic psychology, it proposes that every act—whether lofty or mundane—is rooted in muscle, posture, and the physical condition of the organism. By examining how bodily structure shapes thought and conduct, the author seeks to lay the groundwork for an empirical ethics that can be studied with the same rigor as any other science.

Using the mythic hero Hercules as a central symbol, the work contrasts brute‑strength, purposeful effort with the idle dreaming embodied by Cinderella. It suggests that true freedom and ethical worth are earned through honest, disciplined action rather than imagined ideals. Throughout the first part, the author weaves historical references and contemporary scientific insights to show how the well‑being of our physical selves sets the ultimate standard for what we consider valuable.