Peter Singer is Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at the University Center for Human Values, Princeton University.
He is the author of Animal Liberation, first published in 1975, and is widely credited with triggering the modern
animal-rights movement. His Practical Ethics is one of the most widely used texts in applied ethics, and Rethinking
Life and Death received the 1995 National Book Council's Banjo Award for non-fiction. He was the foundation president
of the International Association of Bioethics.
Review
"... a welcome guide, one that at present has no equal."
--American Society for Aesthetics Newsletter
Blackwell Publisher's Web Site, May, 2000
Summary
In this volume some of today's most distinguished philosophers survey the whole field of ethics, from its origins,
through the great ethical traditions, to theories of how we ought to live, arguments about specific ethical issues,
and the nature of ethics itself. The book can be read straight through from beginning to end; yet the inclusion
of a multi-layered index, coupled with a descriptive outline of contents and bibliographies of relevant literature,
means that the volume also serves as a work of reference, both for those coming afresh to the study of ethics and
for readers already familiar with the subject.
Table of Contents
Introduction.
Acknowledgments.
List of contributors.
Part I: The Roots:
1. The Origin of Ethics: Mary Midgley.
2. Ethics in Small-Scale Societies: George Silberbauer.
3. Ancient Ethics: Gerald A. Larue.
Part II: The Great Ethical Traditions:
4. Indian Ethics: Purusottama Bilimoria.
5. Buddhist Ethics: Padmasiri de Silva.
6. Classical Chinese Ethics: Chad Hansen.
7. Jewish Ethics: Menachem Kellner.
8. Christian Ethics: Ronald Preston.
9. Islamic Ethics: Azim Nanji.
Part III: Western Philosophical Ethics : A Short History:
10. Ethics in Ancient Greece: Christopher Rowe.
11. Medieval and Renaissance Ethics: John Haldane.
12. Modern Moral Philosophy: J. B. Schneewind.
Part IV: How Ought I Live?:
13. Natural Law: Stephen Buckle.
14. Kantian Ethics: Onora O'Neill.
15. The Social Contract Tradition: Will Kymlicka.
16. Egoism: Kurt Baier.
17. Contemporary Deontology: Nancy (Ann) Davis.
18. An Ethic of Prima Facie Duties: Jonathan Dancy.
19. Consequentialism: Philip Pettit.
20. Utility and the Good: Robert E. Goodin.
21. Virtue Theory: Greg Pence.
22. Rights: Brenda Almond.
Part V : Applications:
23. World Poverty: Nigel Dower.
24. Environmental Ethics: Robert Elliot.
25. Euthanasia: Helga Kuhse.
26. Abortion: Mary Anne Warren.
27. Sex: Raymond A. Belliotti
28. Personal Relationships: Hugh Lafollette.
29. Equality, Discrimination and Preferential Treatment: Bernard R. Boxill.
30. Animals: Lori Gruen.
31. Business Ethics: Robert C. Solomon.
32. Crime and Punishment: C. L. Ten.
33. Politics and the Problem of Dirty Hands: C. A. J. Coady.
34. War and Peace: Jeff McMahan.
Part VI: The Nature of Ethics:
35. Realism: Michael Smith.
36. Intuitionism: Jonathan Dancy.
37. Naturalism: Charles R. Pigden.
38. Subjectivism: James Rachels.
39. Relativism: David Wong.
40. Universal Prescriptivism: R. M. Hare.
41. Morality and Psychological Development: Laurence Thomas.
42. Method and Moral Theory: Dale Jamieson.
Part VII: Challenge and Critique:
43. The Idea of a Female Ethic.
44. The Significance of Evolution.
45. Marx Against Morality.
46. How Could Ethics Depend on Religion?: Jonathan Berg.
47. The Implications of Determinism: Robert Young.
