Customer Reviews

Contemporary Ethics: Taking Account of Utilitarianism (Contemporary Philosophy)

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Shaw's book provides an excellent introduction to utilitarian ethics. Shaw covers not only the basics, which would be of interest mostly to those unfamiliar with the topic, but also goes into enough detail to stimulate thinking for those who already have a solid grasp of utilitarianism. He covers all the bases. Although he himself espouses utilitarianism as the preferred ethical philosophy, he gives a fair presentation of opposing views. Thus, he is not merely selling an agenda but exposes the reader to views that differ from his. Shaw's book provides many good references that ethical scholars can use to further their own research. But the book is not intended merely for scholars. It would also serve as an excellent text for a course on ethics.

Utilitarianism -- the ethical theory that the moral action is the one that results in the most happiness or utility -- has been subjected to the same objections over and over again since its introduction by Bentham and Mill -- utilitarianism is wrong, because it condones the killing of innocents, it fails to respect human rights, it fails to condemn lying, etc. William Shaw gives an easily-understood but nuanced defense of utilitarian ethics, giving it a credibility that many people fail to recognize after a short consideration. By considering the difference between an institution and an individual, the difference between what is right and what is admirable, and the implications of human limitations, Shaw gives a version of utilitarianism that is very simple to state, but surprisingly nuanced and complex to apply.
This text is ideal for an introdutory ethics or consequentialism class that intends to consider utilitarianism seriously.

This really is an excellent book. It is perhaps -- in spite of what the author says -- most worth reading after someone has read Mill's Utilitarianism (which is itself a fine read). The best thing about this book is the thoroughness and clarity of the writing. Perhaps the author is a bit too easy on utilitarianism, but he puts his cards quite openly on the table. Another excellent aspect of the book is the wide referencing (the bibliography alone is worth the price of the book). I would highly recommend this to an undergraduate student in philosophy, and to that elusive general reader one has heard rumours of.