For many years many Christians have exhibited bumper stickers and wrist bands challenging themselves to live up to WWJD--What Would Jesus Do? Now Andrew Fiala, a professor who has encountered many such students in his classes, objectively assesses just what it actually is that Jesus does (and doesn't) say about the essential moral issues that face us today. Andrew Fiala appreciates Jesus as a moral teacher with an ethical vision centered in love, generosity, forgiveness, tolerance, and peace. But he argues that it is often difficult to determine exactly what Jesus would say or do about tough contemporary issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, war, homosexuality, and politics. Hence, Fiala believes we need to engage in philosophical reflection and critical thinking to arrive at answers to today's ethical questions that Jesus never anticipated, such as those involving technology, scientific discoveries, ethical advances. The book shows how philosophers and psychologists--from Kant and Mill to Nietzsche and Freud--struggled to make sense of the ethics of Jesus. The book concludes by arguing that we cannot pretend that Jesus and the Bible provide all the answers to our ethical dilemmas, although Jesus does provide perennial moral wisdom. Thus, Fiala shows that Jesus' moral teachings must be filled out with contemporary ethical reflection to determine what Jesus, as a moral ideal, would really do today.
Andrew Fiala is professor of philosophy at Fresno State, Chair of the Philosophy Department, and Director of the Ethics Center at Fresno State. He is also general editor for the journal, "Philosophy in the Contemporary World."
Fiala has published books and articles on war, pacifism, political philosophy, and religion. He also writes about applied ethical issues such as euthanasia, abortion, the death penalty, and animal welfare.
Fiala enjoys skiing, rock climbing, hiking, and backpacking in Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. He says that these activities help him philosophize. Contemplating wilderness helps him see the big picture and fragility and finitude of human life. Focusing on a climbing route or skiing steep slopes helps him develop mental focus and problem solving skills.
Fiala loves the classroom, where he tries to encourage undergraduate students to think carefully about the tough issues of our day. He teaches courses in ethics, applied ethics, political philosophy, and the history of philosophy.
More information, including links to articles and interviews, can be found at www.andrewfiala.com
