Being Good A Short Introduction to Ethics

Author/creator Blackburn, Simon Author
Format Electronic
Edition2nd ed.,Revised
Publication InfoNew York : Oxford University Press, Incorporated
Description172 p. ill 17.100 x 011.800 cm.
Supplemental ContentFull text available from Ebook Central - Public Library Complete
Subjects

Summary Annotation Writing with wit and elegance, Simon Blackburn tackles the basic questions of ethics in this lively book, highlighting the complications and troubling issues that spring from the very simple question of how we ought to live. Blackburn dissects the many common reasons for why we are skeptical about ethics. Drawing on examples from history, politics, religion and everyday personal experience, he shows how cynicism and self-consciousness can paralyze us into considering ethics a hopeless pursuit. He assures us that ethics is neither futile nor irrelevant, but an intimate part of the most important issues of living--of birth, death, happiness, desire, freedom, pleasure, and justice. Indeed, from moral dilemmas about abortion and euthanasia, to our obsession with personal rights, to our longing for a sense of meaning in life, our everyday struggles are rife with ethical issues. Blackburn distills the arguments of Hume, Kant and Aristotle down to their essences, to underscore the timeless relevance of our voice of conscience, the pitfalls of complacency, and our concerns about truth, knowledge and human progress.Blackburn's rare combination of depth, rigor, and sparkling prose, along with his distinguished ranking among contemporary philosophers, markBeing Goodas an important statement on our current disenchantment with ethics. It challenges us to take a more thoughtful reading of our ethical climate and to ponder more carefully our own standards of behavior.
Access restrictionAvailable only to authorized users.
Technical detailsMode of access: World Wide Web
Genre/formElectronic books.
ISBN9780192853776
ISBN0192853775 (Trade Paper) Active Record
Standard identifier# 9780192853776
Stock number00020142

Availability

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Electronic Resources Access Content Online ✔ Available