Practical Ethics 3rd Edition

by Peter Singer (Author)

38 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0521707688

ISBN-10: 0521707684

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For thirty years, Peter Singer's Practical Ethics has been the classic introduction to applied ethics. For this third edition, the author has revised and updated all the chapters, and added a new chapter addressing climate change, one of the most important ethical challenges of our generation. Some of the questions discussed in this book concern our daily lives. Is it ethical to buy luxuries when others do not have enough to eat? Should we buy meat from intensively reared animals? Am I doing something wrong if my carbon footprint is above the global average? Other questions confront us as concerned citizens: equality and discrimination on the grounds of race or sex; abortion, the use of embryos for research, and euthanasia; political violence and terrorism; and the preservation of our planet's environment. This book's lucid style and provocative arguments make it an ideal text for university courses and for anyone willing to think about how she or he ought to live.

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Editorial Reviews

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"....It is a widely read and widely taught introduction to the philosophical dimensions of practical moral problems.... All of the chapters have been revised and updated, and a chapter has been added on climate change. Singer's lucid style of exposition and argument are perfect for this sort of introductory text. Every library should have a copy of this book.... Highly recommended...."
--J. H. Spence, Adrian College, CHOICE

"...This third edition keeps the lucid style and provocative arguments of its predecessors, but with a more up to date perspective into current ethical challenges. This makes Practical Ethics not only an ideal text for university courses, but also for anyone who wants to dedicate some serious thinking into how she or he ought to live.... remains a relevant and welcome contribution to ethics."
--Laura Cabrera, Institute for Biomedical Ethics, Basel University, Metapsychology Online Review

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Product details

Paperback: 356 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 3 edition (February 21, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0521707684
ISBN-13: 978-0521707688
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 38 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #185 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Philosophy > Ethics
- #499 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Ethics & Morality

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Michael

Every living person should read through this book at least once

May 13, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book changed my life, completely altering the way I view morality as a whole and the value (or lack thereof) of life. Because of Peter Singer, I have developed strong yet defensible views regarding contentious topics, including (non-human) animal rights, abortion, and euthanasia. Peter Singer's stances may be controversial, but the logic and reasoning through which he arrives at his claims is impeccable. Simply glancing at a few of Peter Singer's quotes or viewpoints independently online may leave you appalled, but after reading through his brilliant book in its entirety you will have difficulty arguing with his sound logic. Singer takes a very simple premise that many share - that is, that suffering is undesirable and should be reduced as much as possible - and expands upon it developing a comprehensive moral framework that can be consistently applied to a variety of moral dilemmas. Reading "Practical Ethics" will certainly change your outlook on life, and may even lead you to alter or at least reconsider key moral viewpoints you take for granted.

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John Martin

A deeply thoughtout and insigntful guide to making moral decisions on important issues

July 30, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Princeton professor Peter Singer is one of the world’s most renowned moral philosophers and has been admired and vilified for his views the world over. In Practical Ethics he explores a number of topics with ethical implications. The book is scholarly and requires close attention. I found that reading it one chapter a day and thinking about that chapter to be the best approach. Topics include two introductory chapters, About Ethics and Equality and Its Implications, and chapters on specific topics such as Equality for Animals; What’s Wrong with Killing; Taking Life (three chapters on animals, the embryo and fetus and humans); Rich and Poor; Climate Change and the Environment (two chapters); Civil Disobedience, Violence and Terrorism: and a final chapter on Why Act Morally?

One striking thing about Professor Singer’s comments is how often he refers to science and real-world situations in making his moral judgments. He is not just making abstract comments based on his own reasoning, but instead uses science and the real world. At the same time his thinking is both controversial (he has been physically attacked and denied the right to give talks) and not always, in my view, correct. For example, on page 139 on the topic of abortion he raises the question of whether or not a woman can terminate a pregnancy as a matter of personal convenience. In the example a woman who is two months pregnant decides to terminate the pregnancy because she wants to go mountain climbing. But she still plans to have children in the future. To quote Professor Singer at this point: “Yet if abortion is wrong only because it deprives the world of a future person, this abortion is not wrong. It does not prevent the entry of a person into the world, it merely delays it.” What Professor Singer is missing, of course, is the fact that it DOES prevent the entry of a particular person, namely the aborted fetus. A later pregnancy (not assured since the woman has already changed her mind once) would result in the birth of an entirely different person. People are not like machines that can be discarded and replaced by a duplicate at a later date.

At the same time, many of Professor Singer’s insights provide a new and deeper way of thinking about issues. One example he gives comes from Jonathan Glover. Imagine, Glover says, that in a poor village 100 people are about to eat lunch and each has a bowl with 100 beans. A band of bandits comes in and each bandit grabs one bowl, eats it and gallops off. The villagers are left hungry. But then the bandits have second thoughts and decide to return the following week with a different plan. Each bandit will take only one bean from each bowl. The results, of course, are the same, the villagers starve, but each bandit can say he did only a little harm to each person. This same way of thinking can be applied to such problems as global warming. My actions may only cause a very small part of the problem, but they are still wrong.

This book will change the way you think about the world and your actions in it. I recommend it for anyone who wants to live a decent and moral life.

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elaine

A Too-Cool for School Read

March 26, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is now one of my favorite books and it was an assigned read from a cool professor. Got it used and it is worth it. If you even have the slightest interest in philosophy I highly recommend this book. It will open your eyes to different perspectives and make you rethink issues that were seemingly easy to resolve and for some, question your entire belief system. I honestly think that philosophy should be in the high school education curriculum.

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Charlie Parker

Singer does an excellent job of providing a well-considered approach to ethics

May 8, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Mr. Singer does an excellent job of providing a well-considered approach to ethics. This book was able to change my mind on a few things; abortion being one of them. Worth the time to read this very long, but very good book.

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Ian Bryce

Controversial but based in science and reason

October 5, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Singer delivers just what he says - a real guide to ethics which we really encounter. What is his methodology? He draws comparisons between different options (possible courses of action), and analyzes the relative advantages of each. Science and reasoning are his tools. Many of his conclusions are controversial and politically incorrect, but his assumptions are stated and the logic is sound.

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April 27, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Excellent, logical, and well-reasoned book grounded in good current science that examines some of the most basic questions about how morals should be applied in our daily experiences. While other excellent reviews have provided more information, I would simply add that I enjoyed this book and found the insights most valuable; it's improved my moral thinking significantly.

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July 22, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I enjoyed the book however, I'd say anyone interested in reading it should approach it with an open mind and be prepared to have commonly held beliefs challenged.

I thought the arguments were presented in a logical way although I confess I had to re-read parts to fully understand Mr Singer's arguments.

Highly recommended for any thoughtful person interested in living an ethical life.

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Dea Wages

Very nice, very nice.

October 19, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Came fast in shipping and is a great book! Reading it for my philosophy of ethics class.

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Most recent customer reviews

Daniel A. Richman

Desperately in need of a good edit

Oh, how I wish Dr. Singer had been blessed with an editor for this work. It is an important, even profound, work. I learned a lot -- when I could follow his reasoning.Read more

Published 27 days ago

keloqura

We can kill anyone we find "inconvenient" according to Singer.

This book is disgusting and to think it has so many good review is scary and a sad commentary of the direction of human life today. Who is this guy thinking he is God?Read more

Published 5 months ago

Amazon Customer

Five Stars

The book is really like a new one!

Published 8 months ago

Carly

Extremely interesting book, really makes you think in a ...

Extremely interesting book, really makes you think in a new way and incorporates a lot of perspectives. Made the class I was taking interesting.

Published 9 months ago

C. Roy

Very thoughtful book. Used for a philosophy class at ...

Very thoughtful book. Used for a philosophy class at Smith college.

Published on January 10, 2016

Amazon Customer

Three Stars

Good Deal, but hard book/class

Published on November 5, 2015

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