Ethics (Oxford Readers) [Paperback]

Peter Singer (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0192892452 | ISBN-13: 978-0192892454 | Publication Date: May 12, 1994

What is ethics? Where does it come from? Can we really hope to find any rational way of deciding how we ought to live? If we can, what would it be like, and how are we going to know when we have found it? To capture the essentials of what we know about the origins and nature of ethics, Peter Singer has drawn on anthropology, evolution, game theory, and works of fiction, in addition to the classic moral philosophy of such thinkers as Nietzsche, Kant, and Confucius. By choosing some of the finest pieces of writing, old and new, in and about ethics, he conveys the intellectual excitement of the search for answers to basic questions about how we ought to live. From the debates of Socrates and the profound writing of Rousseau to Jane Goodall's reflections on the ethics of chimpanzee kinship and Luther's commentary on the Sixth Commandment (thou shalt not kill), this engaging reader offers a complete and thorough introduction to the fascinating world of ethical debate.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter Singer is DeCamp Professor of Bioethics in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. He has made numerous TV appearances talking about ethics and animal rights; he is general editor of `Studies in Bioethics' (OUP); extremely well known in Australia and a big name in ethics throughout the world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (May 12, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192892452
• ISBN-13: 978-0192892454
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Ethics
  • #49 in Books > Medical Books > Medicine > Medical Ethics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great anthology, February 7, 2007

By 

Anna Karenina - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ethics (Oxford Readers) (Paperback)

Apart from being a fine philosopher, Singer is also an excellent editor. I have been using this anthology for years in ethics classes and students like it very much. The selections are short and to the point. There are selections from all historical periods covering most of the major viewpoints. What makes the anthology exceptional is that Singer also includes intriguing, unexpected material, like a short selection about the desert saints, a piece about a relationship between Kant and a friend, a short selection about Gandhi. There's also a fine selection of material about primate ethics. A really good book for classroom use, but also a great collection for the general reader.

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars to set the record straight..., May 30, 2006

By 

Samson (Cambridge, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ethics (Oxford Readers) (Paperback)

the review by Heersink seems factually incorrect. He claims that Singer overlooks Kant's Categorial Imperative, and doesn't even mention Aquinas in the section on Natural Law Theory. However, a perusal of the Table of Contents reveals that neither of these claims are true. While the other criticisms offered might yet hold (I have not read this book), false accusations by Heersink of incompetence on the part of Singer make the aforementioned review questionable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great reader in ethics...could use a more recent update.., October 13, 2008

By 

Product Auditor - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ethics (Oxford Readers) (Paperback)

This is a very good intro to ethics and meta-ethics. Singer is a good writer and his piece at the beginning is almost worth the price of the book alone. It's more of an overview of the classic texts than a state of the art primer on modern research (e.g. the newest primate studies, psychological / neuroscience based studies, etc.).... then again it was written in 1994. Anyway, a good book if you want to read up on classic texts, but might want to go elsewhere for newer stuff.