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The Routledge Companion to Ethics is an outstanding survey of the whole field of ethics by a distinguished international team of contributors. Over 60 chapters are divided into six clear sections:

• the history of ethics
• meta-ethics
• perspectives from outside ethics
• ethical perspectives
• morality
• debates in ethics.

The Companion opens with a comprehensive historical overview of ethics, including chapters on Plato, Aristotle, Hume, and Kant, and ethical thinking in China, India and the Arabic tradition. The second part covers the domain of meta-ethics. The third part covers important challenges to ethics from the fields of anthropology, psychology, sociobiology and economics. The fourth and fifth sections cover competing theories of ethics and the nature of morality respectively, with entries on consequentialism, Kantian morality, virtue ethics, relativism, evil, and responsibility amongst many others. A comprehensive final section includes the most important topics and controversies in applied ethics, such as rights, justice and distribution, the end of life, the environment, poverty, war and terrorism.

The Routledge Companion to Ethics is a superb resource for anyone interested in the subject, whether in philosophy or related disciplines such as politics, education, or law. Fully indexed and cross-referenced, with helpful further reading sections at the end of each chapter, it is ideal for those coming to the field of ethics for the first time as well as readers already familiar with the subject.

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Adam Smith is the best known among economists for his book, The Wealth of Nations, often viewed as the keystone of modern economic thought. Others, often heterodox economists and social philosophers, on the contrary, focus on Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, and explore his moral theory. This work treats these dimensions of Smith's work as elements in a seamless moral philosophical vision, demonstrating the integrated nature of these works and Smith's other writings. Although many practitioners today see the study of Smith as an antiquarian exercise, this book weaves Smith into a constructive critique of modern ecnomic analysis (engaging along the way the workof Nobel Laureates Gary Becker, Amarty Sen, Douglass North, and James Buchanan) and builds bridges between that discourse and the other social sciences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

4.5 stars-the best long study of Smith.
Evensky(E) has done a great job in covering the major contributions of Adam Smith.He correctly integrates The Theory of Moral Sentiments(TMS,1759;1st edition) with The Wealth of Nations(WN;1776).He shows the importance of Smith's sixth and final edition of TMS in which Smith added a completely new part,Part VI,that dealt with the necessity of promoting morality as a social good that would generate positive externalities to the society as a whole.E correctly shows that Smith viewed government in a positive light and saw that it had to successfully carry out certain functions in order for that society to be prosperous.

My major criticism is that E does not place enough emphasis on the dark side of the Invisible Hand-the undepletable ,detrimental externalities that negatively impact the moral,political,social,martial,and intellectual(as well as limiting the extension of the Invisible Hand by destroying the capability of the work force to make a series of continuous improvements in the machinery that they use in the mass production process)capabilities of the work force as a whole,resulting in "...the almost entire corruption and degeneracy of the great body of the people"(Smith,p.734;Modern Library edition-Cannan) unless government intervenes to prevent or reduce the social damages .E refers to this problem in his footnote21 on p.13 of his book:"It should be noted that Smith is keenly aware of the potential for technical advancement in production to numb the minds of workers".He returns to the problem again in chapter 9 where he treats the role of government in Smith's system.However,he only spends 1 page discussing how the provision of education(he leaves out the importance of religious instruction and hence misses the reason explaining why Smith added a new Part VI to TMS in 1790. Part VIwas requiredin order to provide the theoretical foundation for his discussions of mass education on pp.716-768 of WN)is viewed .E needed to spend an entire chapter on Smith's careful discussion of all of the negative spillover effects that will result from the operation of the Invisible Hand on pp.734-741.The statement above that it "...numbs the minds..."is an understatement similar to the understatements made by Robert Heilbroner about the "...stultifying effect of mass production..." that would lead to " ...a decline in manly virtues..."(Heilbroner,p.68,The Worldly Philosophers).Smith's much more emphatic characterization and detailed treatment of the actual problem is correct.The problem is much more severe then a decline in manly virtues or numbing of the mind.Every future author on Smith needs to devote one chapter of his book to this actual,not just potential, problem.The failure to deal with it leads directly to Marx's analysis. ... Read more

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For Trekkies everywhere, a fascinating look at the philosophy of Star Trek, from Kirk and Spock to Janeway and Seven of Nine

For four decades, Star Trek has been the obsession of millions of fans. But real Trekkies know that the show is more than just riveting entertainment. Its complex moral dilemmas present a view of the future that holds important truths for us in the present. Drawing on episodes from all four Star Trek generations, this unique book explores the ethics of the series in relation to the theories of the world's great philosophers. Questions about good and evil, right and wrong, power and corruption are discussed in language that,is both readable and compelling as the authors show, how the program has evolved over the years to address society's changing values. For this century and beyond, The Ethics of "Star Trek" is an intriguing look at a brilliantly imagined-world and what it can teach us about how to live.

The book covers much more ground than is typically traveled in Ethics 101 courses. In the first of five sections, Barad and Robertson deal with the importance of religion and culture, as well as logic, in ethical reasoning. They go on to successively tackle virtue ethics, hedonism, Stoicism, Christian ethics, social contract theory, duty ethics, utilitarianism, and existential ethics--all in reference to the moral dilemmas enlivened by Star Trek. And while the topics' treatments are somewhat cursory, they are written with a conversational prose that beckons the reader to further study. Perhaps Jean-Luc Picard puts it best in the book's epigraph, "There is no greater challenge than the study of philosophy." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Good, but the source material is thn
The 1995 book, The Physics of Star Trek, started the trend of using the four Star Trek series as a springboard for discussing an academic topic.Indiana State Philosophy professor Judith Barad analyzes ethical dilemmas from the four series in terms of various philosophical concepts.

While Star Trek characters faced many moral issues, the show's analysis of them rarely proceeded beyond the obvious.Thus the curious situation that imaginary physics provided a more detailed canvas for discussing real physics than does Star Trek's stories about the real human drama.Barad uses an episode or two to introduce a topic, but has go beyond the show to make her discussion interesting.Nonetheless, she finds episodes that can be usefully analyzed by ideas from Socrates, the Stoics, Aristotle, Kant, Hobbes' social contract, Utilitarianism and Existentialism.

She looks at the major characters and tries to fit a philosophical system to each.It won't be a surprise that Spock is a Stoic and that Kirk mixes systems.Barad is gentle with the character's contradictions and gives us interesting insights to their reasoning.

She also tries to determine the principal ethical system of each show.All use a range of philosophies, but she sees Deep Space 9 as dominated by Existentialism and Voyager ruled by a platonic philosopher-queen, Captain Janeway.

Barad's non-technical, accessible writing and choice of popular topic might make this a useful textbook for an introductory course on philosophy.

One of Dr. Barad's former students
I will make this short and sweet.I was one of Dr. Barad's students when this first came out.It was a required text for her course "The Philosophy of Star Trek" at Indiana State University.While I am not trekkie by any stretch of the imagination, I found the book to be very good at what it was supposed to do...it tied the various ethical dilemmas faced in the Star Trek realm to their appropriate philosophical theory.By doing so it helped to make a subject that some consider boring much more interesting.

Lovin the Star Trek Ethics!
This is my second purchase of the book because I made the awful mistake of loaning it to someone who wouldn't give it back. So instead of being so angry I took the advice of the Star Trek Ethics and followed steps to create a perfect union once again. I love the book and think as a person that watches the Star Trek Series/All of Them so much the book is a perfect companion and way to revisit the consciousness and actually live it!"Live Long and Prosper"

Boring
I needed this book for one of my classes at college.The book is a pretty hard read.It is so boring.I read 2 pages and I already want to put it down.If you want good facts and examples about ethics, it would be a great source for comparison.

An enjoyable indulgence
I found this book to a fun read because I have seen all of the episodes it discusses. If one has not seen all of the episodes used to make philosophical points I would imagine the reader would feel like an outsider listening in on a conversation of which they are not a part, relying heavily on the summaries and references to the show provided. However, one must experience the shows first to get the most out of this book. As for the stars, I use a pre-Vietnam war grading system as the book is a solid average and its grace stems from its own unique circumstances. Warning--one's own pride may prevent getting the most out of this book. ... Read more

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The Blackwell Guide to Medical Ethics is a guide to the complex literature written on the increasingly dense topic of ethics in relation to the new technologies of medicine.

• Examines the key ethical issues and debates which have resulted from the rapid advances in biomedical technology
• Brings together the leading scholars from a wide range of disciplines, including philosophy, medicine, theology and law, to discuss these issues
• Tackles such topics as ending life, patient choice, selling body parts, resourcing and confidentiality
• Organized with a coherent structure that differentiates between the decisions of individuals and those of social policy.

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In a series of articles specifically commissioned for this volume, some of today's most distinguished business ethicists survey the main areas of interest and concern in the field of business ethics.

Sections of the book cover topics such as the often easy relation between business ethics and capitalism, the link between business ethics and ethical theory, how ethics applies to specific problems in the business world, the connection between business ethics and related academic disciplines, and the practice of business ethics in modern corporations.

• Includes extensive, accessible discussion of all of the main areas of interest and debate in business ethics
• Features all original contributions by distinguished authors in business ethics
• Includes an annotated table of contents, bibliographies of the relevant literature and a list of internet sources of material on business ethics
• Perfect, comprehensive book for use in business ethics courses

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Contemporary Debates in Applied Ethics features pairs of newly commissioned essays by some of the leading theorists working in the field today.

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Bonnie Steinbock presents The Oxford Handbook of Bioethics --an authoritative, state-of-the-art guide to current issues in bioethics.

Thirty-four contributors reflect the interdisciplinarity that is characteristic of bioethics, and its increasingly international character. Thirty topics are covered in original essays written by some of the world's leading figures in the field, as well as by some newer "up-and-comers." The essays address both perennial issues, such as the methodology of bioethics, autonomy, justice, death, and moral status, and newer issues, such as biobanking, stem cell research, cloning, pharmacogenomics, and bioterrorism. Other topics concern mental illness and moral agency, the rule of double effect, justice and the elderly, the definition of death, organ transplantation, feminist approaches to commodification of the body, life extension, advance directives, physician-assisted death, abortion, genetic research, population screening, enhancement, research ethics, and the implications of public and global health for bioethics.

Anyone who wants to know how the central debates in bioethics have developed in recent years, and where the debates are going, will want to consult this book. It will be an invaluable resource not only for scholars and graduate students in bioethics, but also for those in philosophy, medicine, law, theology, social science, public policy, and public health who wish to keep abreast of developments in bioethics. ... Read more

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Eight Theories of Ethics looks at the essential issues at the heart of moral philosophy. Taking a thematic approach, Gordon Graham explores the way in which these questions have been considered over time and how theories have developed. ... Read more

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In recent decades there has been a great expansion in the number, size and influence of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) involved in international relief and development. These changes have led to increased scrutiny of such organisations, and this scrutiny, together with increasing reflection by INGOs themselves and their staff on their own practice, has helped to highlight a number of pressing ethical questions such organisations face, such as: should INGOs attempt to provide emergency assistance even when doing so risks helping to fuel further conflict? How should INGOs manage any differences between their values and those of the people they seek to benefit? How open and honest should INGOs be about their own uncertainties and failures?

This book consists of sustained reflections on such questions. It derives from a workshop held at Melbourne University in July 2007 that brought together a group of people – for the most part, reflective practitioners and moral and political philosophers – to discuss such questions. It explores honestly some of the current challenges and dilemmas that INGOs face, and also suggests some new ideas for meeting these challenges. Our hope is that the kind of explicit reflection on the ethical issues INGOs face exemplified in this publication will help to promote a wider debate about these issues, a debate that in turn will help INGO managers and others to make better, wiser, more ethically informed decisions.

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A Short History of Ethics is a history of moral philosophy from the Greeks to the present day. It enables the reader to place specific texts in moral philosophy in a historical perspective by showing the debt moral philosophers owe to their predecessors and the historical development of changes in the moral concepts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Indispensible Classic For Students of Moral Philosophy
MacIntyre's now classic history of moral theory was written in the highly individualistic years of the mid-late sixties.Today, MacIntyre is regarded as one of the world's most significant moral philosophers, but when he wrote this book, few outside of the discipline had ever heard of him.No doubt, the book reflects MacIntyre's strong opinions, but they are well-considered, deeply thought, and generally well-argued.Further, the nature of the project keeps MacIntyre in the mainstream of his subject, and the book provides an extremely comprehensive and relatively concise (270 pages) survey of the peaks in the development of western moral theory (which, despite the many claims of post-modern pundits, is still at the heart of the philosophic project as a whole). A number of MacIntyre's arguments show a fascinating and appropriate application of Wittgenstein's ideas, which, at the time of this writing, still basked in the glow of the apotheosis they had undergone in the 1950's.

MacIntyre is strong on the Greeks.His sections on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and the development of Greek moral thought fill the first 100 pages.Socrates' basic teachings are examined, and while MacIntyre is a bit too materialistic to really "get" Plato, he details the main strokes well, in a fairly thorough discussion of The Republic.His examination of Aristotle's moral theory is enlightening, one of the best available in brief.
The middle of the book deftly deals with the impact of Christian moral thought (see Max Weber for more), the development of early modernity (good on Hobbes; interesting on Spinoza), further developments in 18th century France and Britain (if you've ever wanted to know how the ideas of Locke, Mandeville, Shaftesbury, Hutchinson, Bishop Butler, Paley, Price, Reed, and Hume, et al. fit together in less than ten pages, look no further). Hume is discussed more deeply in other books of this sort (see Norman "The Moral Philosophers"). The discussion is followed by excellent summaries of Montesquieu and Rousseau. (For some reason Montaigne is ignored along with the rest of late 16th and early 17th century French thought).
Then comes what, in my opinion, is the gem of the book, his analysis of Kant. The final claim in the chapter, that the arbitrary nature ("the logical emptiness") of Kant's categorical imperative ironically did far more than any other philosophic claims to prepare the German psyche to rationalize the acceptance of totalitarian National Socialism, albeit controversial, deserves careful perusal.
The final third of the book includes informative sections on Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche (R. Soloman and K. Higgins are better in the brief style format on Nietzsche), Utilitarianism (R. Norman is stronger on Mill, but MacIntyre is sfficient) and ends about halfway through the 20th century, mostly discussing developments in British moral philosophy (Moore, et al).There's a few pages on Sarte (not nearly enough), Dewey, and less known figures such as Stevenson.All in all, better buy a seperate book which deals with this turbulant century all by itself.MacIntyre, however, provides enough of an intro.
The book is excellent in showing the interrelation and development of the most stimulating ideas which have arisen in Europe over two-and a-half thousand years in regard to how we ought to live, how we do, and the whys and wherefores of most of what matters most in philosophy.

Fascinating and difficult
Yes this book is difficult for a non-philosopher like myself. I found the initial chapter on Homeric values very interesting, but then got stranded when he discusses Plato: he assumes indirectly that the reader is familiar with the Gorgias and the Republic. So I didn't give up, and laid the book to the side for one year, and did a slow reading of both of those dialogues on an internet reading group. I then picked up the Short History, and continued: his account of Aristotle is crystal clear. Somewhat excessive detail on recent English philosophy perhaps. My next step, that I'm busy with now, is "After Virtue", much easier to read after having tackled his Short History, and that book is even more riveting and revolutionary.

Great for those with adequate background
This is a reissue of a 1964 work. MacIntyre provides a new introduction that critically reviews what he sees as the strength and weaknesses of the book. The book itself, however, is unchanged from the 1964 text.

Beginners will find this a difficult book to work through. MacIntyre presumes the reader has a basic understanding of the ideas and philosophers he discusses.

But for those with adequate background this is a wonderful book, full of many insights. Be warned, though, this book is not a neutral review of the subject matter. In this book MacIntyre lays the groundwork for his own particular version of ethics (developed most fully in After Virtue).

Much of the book is dense and part of it is, arguably, poorly written. But it is worth the work needed to get through it.

MacIntyre, Alasdair
short history of ethics A short history of ethics: A history of Moral Philosophy from The Homeric Age to The Twentieth Century

MacIntyre, Alasdair
short history of ethics A short history of ethics: A history of Moral Philosophy from The Homeric Age to The Twentieth Century ... Read more

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Uncovering Aristotle's motivations and basic views while paying careful attention to his arguments, this introduction to the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle's great masterpiece of moral philosophy, offers a thorough examination of the entire work. The chapter on friendship captures Aristotle's doctrine with clarity and insight, and Michael Pakaluk develops original and compelling interpretations of the Function Argument, the Doctrine of the Mean, courage and other character virtues, Akrasia, and the two treatments of pleasure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

We Reach Our Complete Perfection Through Habit
I read this book for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.I think Aristotle's ethics is his most seminal work in philosophy.In the early 1960's virtue ethics came to fore.It is a retrieval of Aristotle.It has very close parallels to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Confucius and the modern philosophy espoused in the 1970's called Communitarianism.

For Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics, (EN) is about human life in an embodied state.Area of inquirery for EN is "good" this is his phenomenology.What does "good" mean?He suggests good means "a desired end."Something desirable.Means towards these ends.Such as money is good, so one can buy food to eat because "eating is good."In moral philosophy distinction between "intrinsic good" vs. "instrumental good."Instrumental good towards a desire is "instrumental good" like money.Thus, money is an "instrumental good" for another purpose because it produces something beyond itself.Instrumental good means because it further produces a good, "intrinsic good" is a good for itself, "for the sake of" an object like money."Intrinsic good" for him is "Eudemonia=happiness."This is what ethics and virtues are for the sake of the organizing principle.Eudemonia=happiness.Today we think of happiness as a feeling.It is not a feeling for Aristotle.Best translation for eudaimonia is "flourishing" or "living well."It is an active term and way of living for him thus, "excellence."Ultimate "intrinsic good" of "for the sake of."Eudaimonia is the last word for Aristotle.Can also mean fulfillment.Idea of nature was thought to be fixed in Greece convention is a variation.What he means is ethics is loose like "wealth is good but some people are ruined by wealth."EN isn't formula but a rough outline.Ethics is not precise; the nature of subject won't allow it.When you become a "good person" you don't think it out, you just do it out of habit!

You can have ethics without religion for Aristotle.Nothing in his EN is about the afterlife.He doesn't believe in the universal good for all people at all times like Plato and Socrates.The way he thought about character of agent, "thinking about the good."In addition, Aristotle talked about character traits.Good qualities of a person who would act well.Difference between benevolent acts and a benevolent person.If you have good character, you don't need to follow rules.Aretç=virtue, in Greek not religious connotation but anything across the board meaning "excellence" high level of functioning, a peak.Like a musical virtuoso.Ethical virtue is ethical excellence, which is the "good like."In Plato, ethics has to do with quality of soul defining what to do instead of body like desires and reason.For Aristotle these are not two separate entities.

To be good is how we live with other people, not just focus on one individual.Virtue can't be a separate or individual trait.Socrates said same the thing.Important concept for Aristotle, good upbringing for children is paramount if you don't have it, you are a lost cause.Being raised well is "good fortune" a child can't choose their upbringing.Happenstance is a matter of chance.

Pleasure cannot be an ultimate good.Part of the "good life" involves external goods like money, one can't attain "good life" if one is poor and always working.Socrates said material goods don't matter, then he always mooched off of his friends!Aristotle surmises that the highest form of happiness is contemplation.In Aristotle's Rhetoric, he lists several ingredients for attaining eudaimonia.Prosperity, self-sufficiency, etc., is important, thus, if you are not subject to other, competing needs.A long interesting list.It is common for the hoi polloi to say pleasure=happiness.Aristotle does not deny pleasure is good; however, it is part of a package of goods.Pleasure is a condition of the soul.In the animal world, biological beings react to pleasure and pain as usual.Humans as reasoning beings must pursue knowledge to fulfill human nature.It must be pleasurable to seek knowledge and other virtues and if it is not there is something wrong according to Aristotle.These are the higher pleasures and so you may have to put off lower pleasures for the sake of attaining "higher pleasures."

Phronçsis= "intelligence," really better to say "practical wisdom."The word practical helps here because the word Phronçsis for Aristotle is a term having to do with ethics, the choices that are made for the good.As a human being, you have to face choices about what to do and not to do.Phronçsis is going to be that capacity that power of the soul that when it is operating well will enable us to turn out well and that is why it is called practical wisdom.The practically wise person is somebody who knows how to live in such a way so that their life will turn out well, in a full package of "goods."For Aristotle, Phronçsis is not deductive or inductive knowledge like episteme; Phronçsis is not a kind of rational knowledge where you operate in either deduction or induction, you don't go thru "steps" to arrive at the conclusion.Therefore, Phronçsis is a special kind of capacity that Aristotle thinks operates in ethics.Only if you understand what Aristotle means by phronesis do you get a hold on the concept.My way of organizing it, it is Phronçsis that is a capacity that enables the virtues to manifest themselves.

What are the virtues?Phronçsis is the capacity of the soul that will enable the virtues to fulfill themselves.Virtue ethics is the characteristics of a person that will bring about a certain kind of moral living, and that is exactly what the virtues are.The virtues are capacities of a person to act well.All of the virtues can be organized by way of this basic power of the soul called Phronçsis.There are different virtues, but it is the capacity of Phronçsis that enables these virtues to become activated.Basic issue is to find the "mean" between extremes; this is how Aristotle defines virtues.

Humans are not born with the virtues; we learn them and practice them habitually."We reach our complete perfection through habit."Aristotle says we have a natural potential to be virtuous and through learning and habit, we attain them.Learn by doing according to Aristotle and John Dewey.Then it becomes habitual like playing a harp.Learning by doing is important for Aristotle.Hexis= "state," "having possession."Theoria= "study."The idea is not to know what virtue is but to become "good."Emphasis on finding the balance of the mean.Each virtue involves four basic points.

1. Action or circumstance.Such as risk of losing one's life.
2. Relevant emotion or capacity.Such as fear and pain.
3. Vices of excess and vices of deficiency in the emotions or the capacities.Such as cowardice is the excess vice of fear, recklessness is the excess deficiency.
4. Virtue as a "mean" between the vices and deficiencies.Such as courage as the "mean."

No formal rule or "mean" it depends on the situation and is different for different people as well.For example--one should eat 3,000 calories a day.Well depends on the health and girth of the person, and what activity they are engaged in.It is relative to us individually.
All Aristotle's qualifications are based on individual situations and done with knowledge of experience.Some things are not able to have a "mean" like murder and adultery because these are not "goods."
Akrasia= "incontinence" really "weakness of the will.Socrates thought that all virtues are instances of intelligence or Phronçsis.Aristotle criticizes Socrates idea of virtue, virtue is not caused by state of knowledge it is more complicated.Aristotle does not think you have to have a reasoned principle in the mind and then do what is right, they go together.

The distinctions between continent and incontinent persons, and moderate (virtue) and immoderate (not virtuous) persons is as follows:

1. Virtue.Truly virtuous people do not struggle to be virtuous, they do it effortlessly, very few people in this category, and most are in #2 and #3.
2. Ethical strength.Continence.We know what is right thing to do but struggle with our desires.
3. Ethical weakness.This is akrasia incontinence.Happens in real life.
4. Vice.The person acts without regret of his bad actions.

What does Aristotle mean by "fully virtuous"?Ethical strength is not virtue in the full sense of the term.Ethical weakness is not a full vice either.This is the critique against Socrates idea that "Knowledge equals virtue."No one can knowingly do the wrong thing.Thus, Socrates denies appetites and desires.Aristotle understands that people do things that they know are wrong, Socrates denies this.Socrates says if you know the right thing you will do it, Aristotle disagrees.The law is the social mechanism for numbers 2, 3, 4.A truly virtuous person is their own moral compass.

I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy.Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.

Finally --- something clear
This book is the first intro to Aristotle I have read which really seems like an intro --- and is really clear.Pakaluk takes it seriously --- and the introduction in the book is worth the price of the book alone.This is a great way to get a course on the Ethics that you never got in college.Pakaluk is one of the world's experts on the topic and reading the book you understand why.Get a good translation of the Ethics, sit down with this introduction, and it will get you through the Ethics as if you were in college again.Except it will make sense this time. ... Read more

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Bioregionalism and Global Ethics suggests that current trends towards globalization are creating entirely new social and environmental problems which require cross-cultural dialogue towards the creation of a new "global ethic." Current models of development are based on an implicit global ethic which advocates bringing everyone in the world up to the same standards of living as those prevalent in the so-called "developed" countries through unlimited economic growth. Evanoff argues that this goal is not only unattainable but also undesirable because it ultimately undermines the ability of the environment to sustain both human and non-human flourishing, exacerbates rather than overcomes social inequalities both within and between cultures, and fails to achieve genuine human well-being for all but a wealthy minority. An alternative bioregional global ethic is proposed which seeks to maximize ecological sustainability, social justice, and human well-being through the creation of economically self-sufficient and politically decentralized communities delinked from the global market but confederated at appropriate levels to address problems that transcend cultural borders. Such an ethic is based on a transactional view of the relationship between self, society, and nature, which attempts to create more symbiotic and less conflictual modes of interaction between human cultures and natural environments, while promoting the flourishing of both. Instead of a single monolithic global ethic, bioregionalism suggests that there should be sufficient convergence between cultures to allow for the successful resolution of mutual problems, but also sufficient divergence to enable the continued evolution of both biological and cultural diversity on a global scale.

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"It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence." - W. K. Clifford - this forthright assertion of mathematician and educator W. K. Clifford (1845-1879) in his famous essay "The Ethics of Belief" drew an immediate response from Victorian-era critics, who took issue with his reasoned and brilliantly presented attack on beliefs "not founded on fair inquiry". An advocate of evolutionary theory, Clifford recognised that working hypotheses and assumptions are necessary for belief formation and that testing and assessing one's beliefs in light of new evidence strengthens those worthy of being held. "The Ethics of Belief" is presented here in complete form, along with an insightful biographical introduction by editor Timothy J. Madigan. Also included are four other noteworthy essays by Clifford: "On the Aims and Instruments of Scientific Thought", "Right and Wrong", "The Ethics of Religion", and "The Influence upon Morality of a Decline in Religious Belief". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Clifford is One of my New Idols
Clifford is such a well-spoken, sensible, open-minded scholar. Everybody should read his works and imitate his ethical belief policy. I am very pleased with this purchase, this seller, and the rapid time in which I received this book.

IT IS WRONG ALWAYS, EVERYWHERE, AND FOR ANYONE, TO BELIEVE ANYTHING UPON INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE. ~Clifford

Brilliantly argued title essay.
William Kingdon Clifford is justly famous for his brilliant essay "The Ethics of Belief".In it, he argues for the conclusion that "it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence."He does not merely assert this, and expect people to take his word for the matter (as many seem to imagine); he gives reasons for this position.Obviously, I will not be able to do justice to his argument in a brief review, but a condensed version is:What you believe affects your actions, and your actions affect others.As you are responsible for the effects of your actions on others, so, too, are you responsible for the effects of your beliefs on others.Therefore, you have no right to simply believe whatever you want to believe any more than you have a right to do whatever you want to do.You ought to act responsibly so as not to harm others, and to do so, you need to believe responsibly.Thus you need to be careful about what you believe.And that means that you need to have adequate reasons or evidence in favor of what you believe.

(To avoid possible confusion:Clifford was writing about ethics, not about law.Nothing Clifford states implies what would be illegal to believe; indeed, as one is supposed to believe according to the best evidence one has, it would be entirely inappropriate for someone to require a specific belief of others.After all, if you lack sufficient evidence for a belief, you should not have it.)

Clifford starts with an example of a shipowner who wants to believe his ship is safe and does not need expensive repairs, so he convinces himself that it really is safe, without giving it a proper inspection (or, in other words, without bothering with evidence).It should be obvious that this is irresponsible and dangerous.It also shows why people don't simply have a right to believe whatever they want.

It amazes me that some people who claim to have read his essay say that his argument is "circular" and that he gives no reasons for his position.Indeed, Clifford's first paragraph introduces the abovementioned shipowner, which goes a long way toward showing why evidence is something that should be used in belief formation.However, I expect that it is easier to reject his conclusion if one pretends that he has given no reasons for it, as many want to believe all sorts of nonsense, and do not care about the effects upon others.Usually, the motives are religious, as most religions do not hold up well to careful scrutiny, and people want to believe what they already believe, and don't wish to be told that they should only believe what they have good reason to believe.But think of all of the religious wars that have taken place throughout history, and you will see that people's religious views dramatically affect others, and therefore they ought to be more careful about what they believe.

It is also interesting that some religious people regard Clifford's essay as being anti-religion, but that would mean that they believe that they have no good reason to believe their own religion!If a fair and impartial review of the evidence supports a particular religion, then according to Clifford's position, one should believe it.If not, then one should not.

Regarding the Prometheus edition, I do wish they had chosen to reprint the entire LECTURES & ESSAYS, as another reviewer mentioned, as his other essays are also worth reading, though, perhaps, they are not as important as the title essay.And, as also mentioned by a previous reviewer, there is another edition that contains the essay "The Ethics of Belief", and it does contain an explanation of Clifford's remark about Spanish engineers, unlike the Prometheus edition.The new ISBN for it is 1-438251-76-9, though it does not contain other essays by Clifford.

Avoid Burger's book
Burger's book is a poor buy, as Burger's analysis is weak. It is a book of polemic rather than philosophical depth and his writing is much poorer than either Clifford's or James's.

Clifford's fundamental assumptions are circular - he states that "it is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence". However, he offers no evidence in support of this assertion, thus failing his own test.

The thesis of foundationalism has been successfully refuted by Alvin Plantinga and others (see his "Warranted Christian Belief"), but this essay still remains the archetype of the classical foundationalist approach.

There is a better book for "The Ethics of Belief"
First, it is good that some of Clifford's essays are again in print, as they are important and very well written.If you want some of Clifford's essays from his out-of-print book LECTURES AND ESSAYS (aside from the justly famous "The Ethics of Belief"), this is your only choice, unless you want a used copy, which will probably be extremely difficult to find.Too bad, though, that Prometheus did not choose to reprint the entire first edition of LECTURES AND ESSAYS instead of this 'sampler'.

If, however, you are primarily interested in the essay "The Ethics of Belief" or the subject matter of belief, you would be far better off with a different book:THE ETHICS OF BELIEF:Essays by William Kingdon Clifford, William James, and A.J. Burger, edited by A.J. Burger, ISBN 1-93133-07-6 (paper) or 1-931333-08-4 (cloth).In that book, you get "The Ethics of Belief" based on the first edition (the Prometheus version is evidently NOT based on the first edition), complete and unabridged, with added explanatory material (ever wonder about Clifford's cryptic remarks about Spanish engineers?Burger provides an answer).You also can read James' more famous response (even though it is quite inferior to Clifford's essay) and Burger's interesting response to James.With Burger's book, you get the views of three writers on this important subject, instead of only one.

So, the bottom line is this:If you want some of Clifford's essays other than "The Ethics of Belief", buy this book.But if you are primarily interested in "The Ethics of Belief", then buy Burger's book instead. ... Read more

Product Description
Written for students coming to Spinoza for the firsttime, Spinoza and the Ethics is the ideal guide to this richand illuminating work. This GuideBook provides an overview of criticalinterpretations, relating the Ethics to its intellectualcontext, considers its historical reception; and highlights why thework continues to be relevant today. In addition, the most intriguingfinal sections of the Ethics, usually ignored in introductorycommentaries, are given special attention and illuminated as theclimax of the work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not for beginners!!!
This book is an erudite discussion of Spinoza's philosophy which presupposes a lot of previous knowledge of his doctrine. To take but one example, the first chapter does not explain the central notions of substance, modes and attributes, but discusses them, which is mainly done by comparing the points of view of several Spinoza scholars. All in all, this so-called "guidebook" is in fact a kind of dialogue the author is having with other specialists.
Therefore, if you want to get acquainted with Spinoza and undestand the basics, don't buy this book. I recommend Robert Duff's "Spinoza's Political and Ethical Philosophy" instead.

A garden of Spinozistic delights
Genevieve Lloyd's introduction and commentary to Spinoza's _Ethics_ has become one of my favorites. If you want a general introduction to Spinoza, I recommend starting with Roger Scruton or (second choice) Diane Steinberg. But if you're going to try to read the _Ethics_, you can't ask for a better companion than Lloyd.

It's wonderful to see how much she gets right. For example, in just a few short paragraphs, she not only adopts Martial Gueroult's suggestion to regard Spinoza as a panentheist (correctly, in my opinion), but _also_ explains the main hazard of this view (that we may forget Spinoza's God is fully expressed in each of his attributes). It's nice to see such excellent philosophical sense compressed into two pages of text.

She also takes Jonathan Bennett to task, quite rightly, for his reading in _A Study of Spinoza's Ethics_. I really like Bennett's commentary and I think every philosopher deserves a critic of his caliber. But he reads Spinoza, indeed expressly sets out to read Spinoza, only to find out what he has to say that is of interest to the modern academic philosopher, and he thereby winds up missing the point a lot. Lloyd sets him straight on several issues -- not least his failure to appreciate that Spinoza's development of collaborative ethics from self-regard depends on a new understanding of the self.

She's pretty good on the subject of the mind's eternality, too. I won't try to summarize her claims on this overworked subject; let's just say that she provides a fairly sound reply to Bennett's claim that the second half of Book Five doesn't have anything important to say to us.

There are several other good commentaries on the _Ethics_, of which I personally recommend Curley's _Behind the Geometrical Method_ and Bennett's aforementioned _A Study of Spinoza's Ethics_. (Among older ones, I still like Joachim's best.) But if you want a commentary suitable for both introductory and advanced readers that does a nice job of letting Spinoza speak for himself, Lloyd's is it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A W. H. Auden of philosophy ...
Ranging over the works of many of the leading thinkers since Hegel (among them Kierkegaard, Husserl, Sartre, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Levinas, and Derrida) and treating issues (among them violence, responsibility, identity, alterity, the environment, and globalization) that have become increasingly urgent, The Step Back proposes a mode of addressing these issues that makes a decisive step forward across the "rough ground" on the way to a fresh understanding of the relations of the transcendental to the empirical and of the ontological to the ontic. The author suggests that the logic of these relations is well illustrated by the geometry of the Moebius strip, a ribbon that has two sides but only one surface.

A W. H. Auden of philosophy, David Wood's flashing, forensic sentences cut through the guises that conceal from ourselves our complacency even when--especially when--we take ourselves to be at our most ethically secure. Driven by a passionate sense of the seriousness of what is at stake, he writes nonetheless with an engaging sense of humour, with wit and with grace. This is the beautiful book he once said he hoped he would one day be able to write. But its beauty is not of the kind that isolates itself from our responsibilities. Its aesthetic is that of an ethics beyond ethics, an ethics for philosophy, but also for philosophy's other inseparable side.
John Llewelyn, University of Edinburgh
... Read more

Product Description
How can the discoveries made in the biological sciences play a role in a discussion on the foundation of ethics? This book responds to this question by examining how evolutionism can explain and justify the existence of ethical normativity and the emergence of particular moral systems. Written by a team of philosophers and scientists, the essays collected in this volume deal with the limits of evolutionary explanations, the justifications of ethics, and methodological issues concerning evolutionary accounts of ethics, among other topics. They offer deep insights into the origin and purpose of human moral capacities and of moral systems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

New and Original Essays
This book is a discourse on how biology, and especially the new developments in biology affect ethics.

At first glance there is no connection at all. But in thinking of doing harm to a person, it is clearly ethically bad for a human to harm another. But if a mosquito gives a human malaria or yellow fever, if a shark kills a swimmer, neither the mosquito or the shark cannot be held at fault.

As Francisco Ayala says in chapter 8, 'humans are animals but a very distinct and unique kind of animal.' Some of these differences are almost mechanical, such as walking upright. But other aspects of distinction include social behaviors and the thinking process that has led to science, religion, art, and of course ethics.

This book is a series of ten original essays written by a team of philosophers and scientists. They are broken into categories that reflect the current thinking in the field:

The Limits of Evolutionary Explanations and Justifications of Ethics

Methodological Issues Concerning Evolutionary Accounts of Ethics

How Biological Results can Help Explain Morally Relevant Human Capacities

How Biological Results Can Help Explain Moral Systems ... Read more

Product Description
Enrique Ambrosini Dussel is and has been one of the most prolific Latin American philosophers of the last 100 years. This is the definitive English language collection of Dussel's enormous body of work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Theorizing Liberation from the Underside of Modernity
Enrique Ambrosini Dussel is arguably one of the greatest living Latin American philosophers and among the short list of leading radical philosophers globally over the last century.Born in Argentina in 1934, Dussel has been residing as an exile in Mexico since the 1970s.His moving reflections in the Preface to the book under review recount the political reasons for his exile and hint at the underlying problems preventing the actualization of liberation that Dussel's theoretical works seek to solve: "In 1973, I suffered a bomb attempt in my house, with my wife and children, because I expressed opinions such as those expressed in the texts here collected; in 1975, I was expulsed from my university and from Argentina for criticizing a military dictatorship put in power by CIA recommendation, one placed under Kissinger's strategy, whom the Spanish judge Garzón does not judge, but who was the explicit and public inspiration for Pinoché, Videla, and so many dictators of the period.It was Kissinger who began the international politics and pure doctrine of the `defense of North American interests' without any reference to ethical principles.Thus, I began my long exile in Mexico."

Much of my own introduction into Dussel's life and work comes most intimately through his involvement with the Caribbean Philosophical Association (CPA) and his attempt to bridge the work being done by scholar-activists in Latin America with the efforts of those in the Caribbean.Dussel is the author of more than fifty books and a staggering number of articles, position papers, and books chapters whose subject matters includes areas as wide-ranging as political theory, philosophy, postcolonial thought, church history, liberation theology, ethics, and Marxism.Among his previous groundbreaking books available in English translation are A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN LATIN AMERICA, THE INVENTION OF THE AMERICAS, and THE UNDERSIDE OF MODERNITY.Sadly, as a result of our current age that privileges works composed in English and dissuades persons from working in several languages, the vast majority of Dussel's texts have remained in the original Spanish and accessible only to those who read texts in that language.English readers are thus indebted to Eduardo Mendieta for a wonderful translation of a selection of Dussel's important essays.

Dussel's BEYOND PHILOPHY (2003) echoes the Marxian injunction that political action can only take place "beyond" the realm of the philosophical.Political action for those situated at the "underside of modernity" as a result of the invention of the Americas in 1492 requires attentiveness to thinking about the causes of post-1492 disorder and methods for overcoming the adverse effects of slavery, colonialism, and their aftermaths.Dussel rejects the notion of a singular modernity ushered in by Enlightenment Europe.He suggests the idea of multiple modernities worldwide, a "trans-modernity" as he terms it.Blending Latin American liberation theology with the ideas of thinkers such as Emmanuel Levinas, Dussel develops a compelling case for why Latin American thought is relevant for a global audience.

The book is divided into four parts, and it contains brilliant essays with titles such as "The `World System': Europe as `Center' and Its `Periphery' beyond Eurocentrism" (Ch. 3), "Exodus as a Paradigm in Liberation Theology" (Ch. 6), "Racism: A Report on the Situation in Latin America" (Ch. 7), "Modern Christianity in Face of the `Other' (from the `Rude' Indian to the `Noble Savage')" (Ch. 12), and "Was America Discovered or Invaded?" (Ch. 13).Make no mistake: this book does not address all of Dussel's important theoretical formulations.This latter statement is perhaps the most amazing, given that a mere sampling of Dussel's essays here far exceeds the insights of many other thinkers.BEYOND PHILOSOPHY is intended to be read as a companion text to an earlier volume of essays on Dussel's thought edited by Linda Martín Alcoff and Eduardo Mendiata entitled THINKING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF HISTORY (2000).

In closing, if you seek an introduction into the political thought of a major thinker of our time, then I feel confident in recommending this book without hesitation.BEYOND PHILOSOPHY will open your minds to a radical, alternative account of human liberation.Hopefully, this shall also lead you to read additional texts by Dussel and embrace the Dusselian belief that liberation begins after rigorous philosophical reflection on the Other ends. ... Read more

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The Contradictions of Modern Moral Philosophy is a highly original and radical critique of contemporary moral theory. Johnston skillfully demonstrates how much of recent moral philosophy runs aground on the issue of whether we can make correct moral judgements. ... Read more

Product Description
This third volume of Lewis' papers is devoted to his work in ethics and social philosophy. Topics covered include the logic of obligation and permission; decision theory and its relation to the idea that beliefs might play the motivating role of desires; a subjectivist analysis of value; dilemmas in virtue ethics; the problem of evil; problems about self-prediction; social coordination, linguistic and otherwise; alleged duties to rescue distant strangers; toleration as a tacit treaty; nuclear warfare; and punishment. The purpose of this collection, and the two preceding volumes, is to disseminate more widely the work of an eminent and influential contemporary philosopher. ... Read more

Product Description
Consisting of an assortment of landmark essays and the best in contemporary scholarship, this anthology delves deeply into the most pressing environmental issues of our times. Articles included in this anthology are distinguished for their relevance to real-life policy making and for their ability to promote rich and lively discussion about controversial matters. In addition, the editors' careful organization of the topics and illuminating section previews keep students focused on the most essential points of current environmental debates. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

New as promised!
The book arrived brand-new, just as promised, and it came in a timely manner. The price was extremely reasonable, too.

Slow delivery, Questionable Condition.
It took several weeks for the book to arrive and when it did it was, in my opinion, in worse condition than the description claimed. It wasn't dysfunctional, but if you are a stickler for the quality of condition I would be wary or question the descriptions given. Then again, it could have been a one time thing and I was just a little disappointed a chunk of the pages fell out when I opened the book.

Second-hand, third-hand..
What I ordered was a used book and that is what I received. Satisfied customer

The price is almost worth it...
I used this book for years in teaching environmental ethics.I believe it is the single-best text out there for such a class.However, that price is astounding, and for the first time in a decade, I have switched textbooks.

The contents are almost worth it, though, and richly interdisciplinary, collecting together economic, biological, religious and philosophical perspectives.I highly recommend this for those who want to know what a nearly perfect environmental ethics textbook would look like, and who want the best regardless of the price.

I lament the necessity of not inflicting such a cost on my students.

It's not just "environmental" ethics...
This book provides an extraordinary place for any individual looking to understand and hone their ethics and values, it just happens to useenvironmental issues as its context.The editorial comments are conciseand probing, and the illustrative articles and essays are classic andthought provoking.Although the reading is generally a bit dense for pageturning on one's way to bed, that's even viable for individuals looking fora bit of intensity prior to sleep.An excellent, well rounded, explorationinto earth's environment and human roles and perceptions regarding it. ... Read more