Ethics

Zusatztext a first rate and accessible guide which tackles the huge! perpetual questions Informationen zum Autor Simon Blackburn is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. Until recently he was Edna J. Doury Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina, and from 1969 to 1999 a Fellow and Tutor at Pembroke College, Oxford. His books include Spreading the Word (1984), Essays in Quasi-Realism (1993), The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (1994), Ruling Passions (1998), and Truth (co-edited with Keith Simmons, 1999), and the best-sellingThink (1999). He edited the journal Mind from 1984 to 1990. Klappentext Our self-image as moral! well-behaved creatures is dogged by scepticism! relativism! hypocrisy! and nihilism! by the fear that in a Godless world science has unmasked us as creatures fated by our genes to be selfish and tribalistic! or competitive and aggressive. In this clear introduction to ethics Simon Blackburn tackles the major moral questions surrounding birth! death! happiness! desire and freedom! showing us how we should think about the meaning of life! and how we should mistrust the soundbite-sized absolutes that often dominate moral debates. Zusammenfassung Our self-image as moral, well-behaved creatures is dogged by scepticism, relativism, hypocrisy, and nihilism, by the fear that in a Godless world science has unmasked us as creatures fated by our genes to be selfish and tribalistic, or competitive and aggressive. In this 'sparklingly clear' (Guardian) introduction to ethics Simon Blackburn tackles the major moral questions surrounding birth, death, happiness, desire and freedom, showing us how we should think aboutthe meaning of life, and how we should mistrust the soundbite-sized absolutes that often dominate moral debates.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface ; List of Illustrations ; Introduction ; SEVEN THREATS TO ETHICS ; 1. The Threat of the Death of God ; 2. The Threat of Relativism ; 3. The Threat of Egoism ; 4. The Threat from Evolutionary Theory ; 5. The Threat of Determinism and Futility ; 6. The Threat of Unreasonable Demands ; 7. The Threat of False Consciousness ; SOME ETHICAL IDEAS ; 8. Birth ; 9. Death ; 10. Desire and the Meaning of Life ; 11. Pleasure ; 12. The Greatest Happiness of the Greatest Number ; 13. Freedom from the Bad ; 14. Freedom and Paternalism ; 15. Rights and Natural Rights ; FOUNDATIONS? ; 16. Reasons and Foundations ; 17. Living Well and Doing Good ; 18. The Categorical Imperative ; 19. Contracts and Discourse ; 20. The Common Point of View ; 21. Confidence Restored ; Further Reading ; Index ...

a first rate and accessible guide which tackles the huge, perpetual questions

Autorentext
Simon Blackburn is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. Until recently he was Edna J. Doury Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina, and from 1969 to 1999 a Fellow and Tutor at Pembroke College, Oxford. His books include Spreading the Word (1984), Essays in Quasi-Realism (1993), The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy (1994), Ruling Passions (1998), and Truth (co-edited with Keith Simmons, 1999), and the best-selling Think (1999). He edited the journal Mind from 1984 to 1990.

Klappentext

Our self-image as moral, well-behaved creatures is dogged by scepticism, relativism, hypocrisy, and nihilism, by the fear that in a Godless world science has unmasked us as creatures fated by our genes to be selfish and tribalistic, or competitive and aggressive. In this clear introduction to ethics Simon Blackburn tackles the major moral questions surrounding birth, death, happiness, desire and freedom, showing us how we should think about the meaning of life, and how we should mistrust the soundbite-sized absolutes that often dominate moral debates.

Inhalt

Preface; List of Illustrations; Introduction; SEVEN THREATS TO ETHICS; 1. The Threat of the Death of God; 2. The Threat of Relativism; 3. The Threat of Egoism; 4. The Threat from Evolutionary Theory; 5. The Threat of Determinism and Futility; 6. The Threat of Unreasonable Demands; 7. The Threat of False Consciousness; SOME ETHICAL IDEAS; 8. Birth; 9. Death; 10. Desire and the Meaning of Life; 11. Pleasure; 12. The Greatest Happiness of the Greatest Number; 13. Freedom from the Bad; 14. Freedom and Paternalism; 15. Rights and Natural Rights; FOUNDATIONS?; 16. Reasons and Foundations; 17. Living Well and Doing Good; 18. The Categorical Imperative; 19. Contracts and Discourse; 20. The Common Point of View; 21. Confidence Restored; Further Reading; Index