Rush Rhees questions the viability of moral theories and the general claims they make in ethics. He shows how one can both be concerned with knowing what one ought to do while recognising that one's answer is a personal one. These insights, arrived at in a distinctive style, characteristic of Rhees, are then applied to issues of life and death, human sexuality and our relations to animals. To recognise why philosophy cannot answer such questions for us is an affirmation, not a denial, of their importance.

Autorentext

RUSH RHEES taught at Swansea from 1940 to 1966. After retirement he became an Honorary Professor and Fellow of the College. He was Wittgenstein's literary executor.

D. Z. PHILLIPS became Rush Rhees' student in 1952 and was closely acquainted with him until his death in 1989. He is Director of the Rush Rhees Archive.

Inhalt

Note in Editing Introduction PART ONE: PHILOSOPHICAL ETHICS Moral Judgements and Moral Theory Morals and History Some Developments in Wittgenstein's View of Ethics Responsibility to Society 'Natural Law' and Reasons in Ethics On Knowing the Difference Between Right and Wrong 'What are Moral Statements Like?' PART TWO: THE PERSONAL IN ETHICS 'The Right Answer' 'Deciding What I Ought to Do' Virtue and Knowledge PART THREE: ISSUES OF LIFE AND DEATH Euthanasia Suicide Abortion PART FOUR: SEXUALITY OF ETHICS Sexuality The Tree of Nebuchadnezzar Chastity PART FIVE: PEOPLE AND ANIMALS Human Life and the Life of an Animal Learning, Animals and Psychological Experiments Humans and Animals: A Confused Christian Conception The Death of Dog PART SIX: ETHICS AND HUMAN LIVES Understanding What Men Do and Understanding the Lives Men Live Self Deception and Needs Self Deception and Mistakes Morals and Imitation Morals and Sincerity 'Doing Something About It' Index of Names Index of Subjects