Moral Philosophy

“With remarkable clarity and insight, Sven Nyholm guides readers through the central moral issues and questions raised by artificial intelligence—from alignment and accountability to moral status and human flourishing. Refusing both hype and moral panic, the book offers a steady and humane account of how traditions in moral philosophy can inform and guide technological innovation even as AI compels us to reexamine what it means to think and act ethically. An exceptionally accessible work that speaks equally to students, scholars, and general readers alike.” 
—David J. Gunkel, Northern Illinois University; author of The Machine Question: Critical Perspectives on AI, Robots and Ethics and Person, Thing, Robot: A Moral and Legal Ontology for the 21st Century and Beyond

Introducing Ethics takes us through the history of Western ethics, beginning with Socrates’s attempt to apply reason to questions about what it is to be a good person and what we ought to do. We then examine three leading moral theories—John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism, Immanuel Kant’s deontology, and Aristotle’s character ethics—as if they were a large-scale Socratic dialogue, where each raises objections to and builds on the others. We end with two twentieth-century challenges to Socrates’s enterprise in Carol Gilligan’s feminism and JeanPaul Sartre’s existentialism.

“Lee Braver’s Introducing Ethics is a fantastic introduction to the field. Braver examines some of the most influential pictures of morality that we have inherited from the history of philosophy. In doing so, he highlights the strengths and weaknesses of those moral pictures, leaving the reader to decide for themselves what they think constitutes a good life. Introducing Ethics will be an invaluable resource to students, first-time teachers of ethics, and anyone interested in learning about the nature of morality and human flourishing.”
—Benjamin Berger, University of Hartford

"Doug Campbell lays out a comprehensive and fair-minded account of both the benefits and the drawbacks of social media for our era. He attaches these evaluations to both the individual and to society as a whole. The case studies are compelling and exhibit a keen awareness of the current moment. How should we live, now that many or even most of us are at least partially online? Campbell addresses this question from the point of view of privacy, attention, politics, misinformation, online ostracism, online friendship, and the potential benefits of simply quitting social media or at least some of its more pernicious platforms. Along the way, Campbell ties his discussions back to philosophical concerns raised by Plato, Aristotle, and Xunzi, among others. He also connects his discussion with recent work in feminist philosophy. And each chapter concludes with a succinct definition of key terms and suggested case studies and discussion topics that will engage students at all levels. An impressive accomplishment, and one that deserves a place in the classroom." 
—Mark Alfano, Macquarie University

The Hackett Introduction to Medical Ethics addresses key debates and analyzes prominent ethical perspectives on clinical medicine, healthcare policy, and human experimentation. Using numerous examples and case studies, Altman and Coe apply value theory to contemporary medical practice and trace the repercussions for such philosophical issues as autonomy, death, and justice. The book invites a range of readers to investigate urgent moral questions at the intersection of the body and social institutions. Free online resources include PowerPoint lecture slides, a sample syllabus, links to case studies (to help facilitate small group discussion and apply theoretical concepts), and more.

"With remarkable breadth and depth, Altman and Coe provide up-to-date discussions of both classic bioethical issues (such as informed consent and reproductive technologies) and more recent developments in the field (such as relational autonomy and the impact of racial disparities on healthcare). The Hackett Introduction to Medical Ethics balances contemporary theory with clinical examples and cases in ways that will benefit both students and professionals in philosophy, bioethics, and healthcare."
—Jamie Watson, Cleveland Clinic Center for Bioethics and Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

An Introduction to Utilitarianism: From Theory to Practice is a state-of-the-art text, simultaneously accessible to introductory students and informative for more advanced readers. Two key features set it apart. First, its comprehensive coverage of the arguments for and against utilitarianism is unparalleled. Second, it takes seriously the practical implications of utilitarianism for how we should live, with a particular emphasis on utilitarianism's impartial beneficence and its focus on effectiveness. Guided by the conviction that practical ethics is more about how best to use our limited time and resources than which victims to hit with trolleys in thought experiments, its practical upshots should prove amenable to utilitarians and non-utilitarians alike.

The second edition of C. D. C. Reeve's translation of Nicomachean Ethics features Bekker numbers in the margins as well as a significantly revised translation that combines accuracy, consistency, and readability and fits seamlessly with the other volumes in the series. Anglophone readers can now read Aristotle's works in a way previously not possible. Sequentially numbered, cross-referenced endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index guides the reader to places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

Though Descartes never wrote a book specifically devoted to moral philosophy, his thought on ethical matters can be found throughout his correspondence and in parts of his work Passions of the Soul. In 1685, an anonymous editor in London gathered these writings in a textbook devoted to Descartes’s ethical thought.

Roger Ariew has translated, from Descartes’s original French texts, those selections included in the 1685 volume, adding to those writings an Appendix of relevant materials, including Part III of the Discourse on Method on the provisional morals, a portion of the Preface to the French edition of the Principles of Philosophy on the “tree” of philosophy, and portions of additional letters that help to illuminate the background for the correspondence included in the 1685 volume.

Immanuel  Kant’s  Groundwork  for  the  Metaphysics  of  Morals  is  widely  regarded  as  one of the most influential works in the history of moral philosophy. Indeed, any student of ethics will soon encounter a translation of the book, although trying to read it is likely to cause bewilderment. What, one may ask, is Kant trying to say? This book provides the answers. Here, seven highly regarded teachers and scholars of Kant’s ethics offer remarkably clear explanations of the most important concepts in  the  Groundwork:  the  good  will,  happiness,  duty,  hypothetical  and  categorical  imperatives, the Formula of Universal Law, the Formula of Humanity, and freedom.

“This is the rare guide to Kant’s Groundwork suitable even for students new to philosophy. The clear, concise chapters focus on only the most essential concepts from all three sections of the Groundwork. The authors expertly illuminate Kant’s ethical thought and facilitate engagement with the text.” —Lara Denis, Agnes Scott College

Applied Ethics: An Impartial Introduction prepares readers to evaluate selected classical and contemporary problems in applied ethics in a way that does justice to their complexity without sacrificing clarity or fairness of representation. Its balanced exposition and analysis, enhanced by helpful pedagogical features, make it an ideal book for introducing the ethics of real-life problems including abortion, animal rights, disability, the environment, poverty, and punishment.

"Jackson, Goldschmidt, Crummett, and Chan are experienced teachers with a multitude of insights on the problems they explain in this splendid introduction to applied ethics. It is selective in focus but comprehensive in coverage; it is philosophically rigorous but remarkably clear in presentation; and each of the six sections is substantive enough for a good part of a course while the whole could occupy a full term. The book is an excellent choice as a main introductory text in applied ethics but so well laid out and referenced as to be a resource for students working in this field at any level. It has the clarity and concreteness needed for an introduction and the thoroughness needed in a higher-level study of the moral problems it explores." —Robert Audi, John A. O’Brien Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

Environmental Ethics provides an accessible, lively, and up-to-date introduction to the central issues and controversies in environmental ethics. Requiring no previous knowledge of philosophy or ethical theory, the book will be of interest to students, environmental scientists, environmental policy makers, and anyone curious to know what philosophers are saying today about the urgent environmental challenges we face. 

Instructor Resources: Click here to download PowerPoint lecture slides and to request Environmental Ethics test banks with answer keys.

"A wonderfully executed introduction to utilitarianism that is unlike anything else on the market. It begins with a set of structural issues facing any ethical theory and then carefully shows how utilitarianism fills in that structure by considering the choices it faces at each step. In the way the reader is led from one distinction to the next (as each structural issue is addressed) and in the accessible, conversational style of the prose, the book also has the feel of a philosophical dialogue. It sets out the leading commitments of the view and then breaks down precisely how each commitment might be challenged and defended. The book will be an excellent resource for students who have already been introduced to utilitarianism and want to get clearer—much clearer—on the implications of accepting the view."  —Piers Norris Turner, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Ethics and Human Values, The Ohio State University

Terence Irwin’s edition of the Nicomachean Ethics offers more aids to the reader than are found in any modern English translation. It includes an Introduction, headings to help the reader follow the argument, explanatory notes on difficult or important passages, and a full glossary explaining Aristotle’s technical terms. The Third Edition offers additional revisions of the translation as well as revised and expanded versions of the notes, glossary, and Introduction. Also new is an appendix featuring translated selections from related texts of Aristotle.

"The translation is absolutely reliable and is supplemented with notes that highlight any and all possible problems. Rich and easy to use. I love that 40 pages of supplementary texts from Aristotle are included. . . . Sometimes new editions seem pointless. This is worth it!" —James C. Klagge, Virginia Tech

This anthology provides a set of distinctive selections that explore both Western and Eastern views of lying and truthfulness, including selections from Augustine, Grotius, Aristotle, the Mahābhārata, Confucius, Kant, Plato, Sunzi, Han Feizi, Aquinas, the Lotus Sutra, Hobbes, Hume, Locke, Bacon, Nietzsche, and more.

Hackett Readings in Philosophy is a versatile series of compact anthologies, each devoted to a topic of traditional interest in philosophy or political theory. Selections are chosen for their accessibility, significance, and ability to stimulate thought and discussion.

The second edition of Aquinas, On Law, Morality, and Politics retains the selection of texts presented in the first edition but offers them in new translations by Richard J. Regan—including that of his Aquinas, Treatise on Law (Hackett, 2000). A revised Introduction and glossary, an updated select bibliography, and the inclusion of summarizing headnotes for each of the units—Conscience, Law, Justice, Property, War and Killing, Obedience and Rebellion, and Practical Wisdom and Statecraft—further enhance its usefulness.

"Teachers of introductory ethics and applied ethics classes will have a hard time resisting Charles Cardwell's Hornbook Ethics. I am a big fan. The author has a remarkable gift for briefly introducing the basics of moral philosophy, and his book is so clear and concise that any serious student will be able to learn much from it. Not every philosopher will share its views or priorities of course, but these are set forth with such clarity that it will be easy to use even disagreements as teaching moments. I am unaware of a better introduction to ethics whose brevity approaches this one's."
     —Peter Tramel, Department of Philosophy, Fort Hays State University

Asking Good Questions moves beyond a traditional discussion of ethical theory, focusing on how educators can use these important frameworks to facilitate critical thinking about real-life ethical dilemmas. In this way, authors Nancy Stanlick and Michael Strawser offer students a theoretical tool kit for creatively addressing issues that influence their own environments. This text begins with a discussion of key ethical theorists and then guides the reader through a series of original case studies and follow-up activities that facilitate critical thinking, emphasize asking thought provoking questions, and teach the student to address the complexity of ethical dilemmas while incorporating the viewpoints of their peers. Click here to download the Asking Good Questions instructor's guide.

"The risk, when teaching ethics to undergraduates, is that the issues may easily sound too abstract and bookish to them. Timm Triplett's Morality's Critics and Defenders: A Philosophical Dialogue is the best antidote. By adopting a dialogical form and setting the stage in a classroom, with four very credible students and one teaching assistant as the protagonists, this concise but very valuable book will engage students and stimulate great class discussions. Big issues such as the relationship between religion and morality, the possibility of ethical relativism, animal rights and the moral implications of racism are engagingly covered and so are the most relevant moral perspectives. Students and teachers will undoubtedly find this book very useful, deep, and entertaining."
    —Mario De Caro, Tufts University

The fifth edition of Michael L. Morgan’s Classics of Moral and Political Theory broadens the scope and increases the versatility of this landmark anthology by offering new selections from Aristotle’s Politics, Aquinas’ Disputed Questions on Virtue and Treatise on Law, as well as the entirety of Locke’s Letter Concerning Toleration, Kant’s To Perpetual Peace, and Nietzsche’s On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life.

This collection of classic and contemporary readings in ethics presents sharp, competing views on a wide range of fundamentally important topics: moral relativism and objectivism, ethical egoism, value theory, utilitarianism, deontological ethics, virtue ethics, ethics and religion, and applied ethics. The Fourth Edition dramatically increases the volume’s utility by expanding and updating the selections and introductions while retaining the structure that has made previous editions so successful. (North American rights only)

This volume gathers together the most important evidence about Stoic thought surviving from the ancient world. It is an expanded version of the section on Stoicism in Inwood and Gerson's Hellenistic Philosophy, consolidating related texts into larger, more continuous selections, adding material on the skeptical attack on Stoicism, and a short section that introduces the reader to some of the more interesting texts on Stoic ethics from the Roman imperial period.

"A genuine understanding of Hume's extraordinarily rich, important, and influential moral philosophy requires familiarity with all of his writings on vice and virtue, the passions, the will, and even judgments of beauty—and that means familiarity not only with large portions of A Treatise of Human Nature, but also with An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals and many of his essays as well.  This volume is the one truly comprehensive collection of Hume's work on all of these topics.  Geoffrey Sayre-McCord, a leading moral philosopher and Hume scholar, has done a meticulous job of editing the texts and has provided an extensive Introduction that is at once accessible, accurate, and philosophically engaging, revealing the deep structure of Hume's moral philosophy."
     —Don Garrett, New York University

This collection features Plato's writings on sex and love in the preeminent translations of Stanley Lombardo, Paul Woodruff and Alexander Nehamas, D. S. Hutchinson, and C. D. C. Reeve. Reeve's Introduction provides a wealth of historical information about Plato and Socrates, and the sexual norms of classical Athens. His introductory essay looks closely at the dialogues themselves and includes the following sections: Socrates and the Art of Love; Socrates and Athenian Paiderastia; Loving Socrates; Love and the Ascent to the Beautiful; The Art and Psychology of Love Explained; and Writing about Love.

This collection provides readings from five classic thinkers with importantly distinct approaches to virtue theory, along with five new essays from contemporary thinkers that apply virtue theories to the resolution of practical moral problems. Jennifer Welchman's Introduction discusses the history of virtue theory. A short introduction to each reading highlights the distinctive aspects of the view expressed.

"This is the best introduction to philosophical accounts of the good life available. An excellent choice for any student of philosophy, this original and revealing study will inform, stimulate, and challenge even the most sophisticated reader. Kupperman combines the distinctive care, precision, and analytic power of philosophy with the best insights of contemporary psychology and a sophisticated, sensitive, and wise appreciation of the Indian, Chinese, and Western philosophical traditions. The result is a modern classic."
     —Philip J. Ivanhoe, City University of Hong Kong

This volume includes the complete texts of two of John Stuart Mill’s most important works, Utilitarianism and On Liberty, and selections from his other writings, including the complete text of his “Remarks on Bentham’s Philosophy.” The selection from Mill’s “A System of Logic” is of special relevance to the debate between those who read Mill as an Act-Utilitarian and those who interpret him as a Rule-Utilitarian. Also included are selections from the writings of Jeremy Bentham, founder of modern Utilitarianism and mentor (together with James Mill) of John Stuart Mill.

With this volume, Werner Pluhar completes his work on Kant’s three Critiques, an accomplishment unique among English language translators of Kant. At once accurate, fluent, and accessible, Pluhar’s rendition of the Critique of Practical Reason meets the standards set in his widely respected translations of the Critique of Judgment (1987) and the Critique of Pure Reason (1996). Stephen Engstrom's Introduction discusses the place of the second Critique in Kant's critical philosophy, its relation to Kant's ethics, and its practical purpose and provides an illuminating outline of Kant's argument.

"It is difficult to do justice to the richness of all the essays in this short review. . . . [T]he exceptionally rigorous and inspiring scholarship offered by this collection has laid the groundwork for future inquiries, and anyone interested in Chinese thought will benefit greatly from engaging with the authors' enlightening and rewarding reconstructions of Mengzi's moral philosophy. This is a remarkable achievement, especially given the fact that the Mengzi is an exceedingly difficult text."
     —Yang Xiao, Journal of the American Academy of Religion

"This enlightening book is a comparative study of the moral and metaphysical theories of these two luminaries of the Confucian tradition. . . . Ivanhoe draws in masterful strokes the trajectory of the Confucian image of the sage, from the semi-divine creator heroes revered by Kongzi, to Mengzi's human exemplars of perfected self-cultivation, to Wang Yangming's concept of the innate sagehood of every human."
     —Rene Goldman, Pacific Affairs

"Sachs's translations of Aristotle are truly exemplary. They combine a rare sensitivity to Aristotle's use of the Greek language with an English style that is straightforward and imaginative. But what makes Sachs's translations even more noteworthy is their attunement born of profound awareness of the untranslatability of this thought into modern philosophical concepts. For anyone seriously interested in Aristotle's philosophy, Sachs's translations are indispensable." —Burt Hopkins, Seattle University

Gómez-Lobo argues that behind the facade of Socratic irony lies a strictly deductive system of ethics suspended from two axioms—one governing practical rationality and the other specifying the ingredients of the good life. In the Gorgias, the author contends, Plato tries to found Socratic ethics on a metaphysical principle about goodness in general, from which the axiom concerning the good life can be derived.

This volume collects some of the most accessible and important contemporary essays on the thought of Xunzi, with an Introduction that provides historical background, philosophical context, and relates each of the selections to Xunzi's philosophy as a whole and to the themes of virtue, nature, and moral agency. These themes are also discussed in relation to Western philosophical concerns.

A concise and accessible introduction to the evolution of the concept of moral self-cultivation in the Chinese Confucian tradition, this volume begins with an explanation of the pre-philosophical development of ideas central to this concept, followed by an examination of the specific treatment of self cultivation in the philosophy of Kongzi ("Confucius"), Mengzi ("Mencius"), Xunzi, Zhu Xi, Wang Yangming, Yan Yuan and Dai Zhen. In addition to providing a survey of the views of some of the most influential Confucian thinkers on an issue of fundamental importance to the tradition, Ivanhoe also relates their concern with moral self-cultivation to a number of topics in the Western ethical tradition. Bibliography and index are included.

"Schopenhauer’s On the Basis of Morality deserves to be a standard text for courses in religious ethics. It doesn’t fit into the prevalent genealogies of virtue ethics and utilitarianism, thus reminding us of other genealogies (pessimism, Nietzsche, Buddhism). It poses fundamental questions about the monotheistic background to the dominant ethical systems of the day as virtually no other work does. I have found that reading it after an intensive study of Kant’s ethical and religious writings leads to fantastic discussions, which open the floor for great insights into the relation of religion and ethics.”
     —Mark Larrimore, Princeton University

"I recently used The Good Life for my course Philosophy Through Film. I was pleasantly surprised by the development of the students' excitement for and interest in the assigned readings. Throughout the semester the students commented on the helpfulness of the editor's introductions for each reading, and they became increasingly interested in philosophy. The book was a huge success!"
     —Megan Altman, Florida Gulf Coast University

This volume offers the complete text of Kant’s Metaphysics of Morals, Part I, translated by John Ladd, along with Ladd’s illuminating Introduction to the first edition, expanded to include discussion of such issues as Kant’s conception of marriage and its relevance to his view of women. An updated bibliography, glossary, and index are also provided.

“Hundert is especially good at demonstrating how vital Mandeville’s ideas are as a major foundation for more famous Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau, Diderot, Voltaire and others. . . . The additions of Nicole and Bayle will be useful in courses on 18th century ethics and morals, and in general surveys of Enlightenment thought. This is probably the best one-volume edition of the main works of Mandeville now available.”
     —Irwin Primer, Rutgers University

Translated by Bencivenga from the original Italian of his philosophical best-seller, this dialogue provides a comprehensive statement on the role of freedom in the realms of morality, psychology, metaphysics, and aesthetics. Bencivenga lets his four characters embrace a wide range of topics in their eclectic discussion, including considerations of quantum physics and deconstruction, the Gothic novel and detective stories, the structure of desire and the mathematics of infinity, penetrating comments on Freud, Raymond Chandler, and Wertverlufe, and a reasonable explanation of why Kants first Critique is longer than both the second and the third. What results is less a systematic account than a composite picture for the student of philosophy to piece together.

This volume offers two complementary works, unabridged, in modernized, annotated texts—the only available edition priced for classroom use. Grant and Tarcov provide a concise introduction, a note on the texts, and a select bibliography.

“This volume is excellent. The introduction presents the readings in a clear manner, one that is direct and comprehensible. Similarly, the translation is highly readable. The notes are helpful without being intrusive. In short, this is a volume I have enjoyed using with graduate students and will certainly plan to use with undergraduates.” —Charles E. Butterworth, University of Maryland at College Park

This expanded edition of James Ellington's preeminent translations of Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals and Metaphysical Principles of Virtue includes his new translation of Kant's essay "On a Supposed Right to Lie Because of Philanthropic Concerns," in which Kant replies to one of the standard objections to his moral theory, as presented in the main text of Grounding, that it requires us to tell the truth even in the face of harmful consequences.

“It is a perfect intro. book for our course on relativism. It hits all the major arguments clearly, concisely, persuasively, and at just the right level for undergraduates.”
     —Thomas J. Burke, Jr., Hillsdale College

Designed to meet the needs of both student and scholar, this edition of Leviathan offers a brilliant introduction by Edwin Curley, modernized spelling and punctuation of the text, and the inclusion, along with historical and interpretive notes, of the most significant variants between the English version of 1651 and the Latin version of 1668. A glossary of seventeenth-century English terms, and indexes of persons, subjects, and scriptural passages help make this the most thoughtfully conceived edition of Leviathan available.

This expanded edition of James Ellington’s preeminent translation includes Ellington’s new translation of Kant’s essay “Of a Supposed Right to Lie Because of Philanthropic Concerns” in which Kant replies to one of the standard objections to his moral theory as presented in the main text: that it requires us to tell the truth even in the face of disastrous consequences.

A comprehensive yet concise introduction to central topics, debates, and techniques of moral philosophy in the analytic tradition, this volume combines a thematic, issue-oriented format with rigorous standards of clarity and precision. Thomas introduces fundamental concepts and terms, proceeding through a step-by-step exploration of five general areas of debate: the specification of moral judgment; moral judgment and the moral standard; the justification of moral judgment; logic, reasoning, and moral judgment; and moral judgment and moral responsibility. Key historical and contemporary figures in moral philosophy, including Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hume, Mill, Hare, Ross, Nagel, Foot, Stevenson, and Dancy, are used effectively as a means of examining the topics themselves.

"Friendship, that pervasive, everyday, and subtle matter of our most intimate personal life, has rarely been accorded its due. Michael Pakaluk has retrieved the thoughts of our greatest thinkers on the subject and collected them into a handsome and handy volume. . . . A splendid book!"
     — M. M. Wartofsky, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Baruch College, City University of New York

Volume I: Hobbes—Gay: Thomas Hobbes, Richard Cumberland, Ralph Cudworth, John Locke, Lord Shaftesbury, Samuel Clarke, Bernard Mandeville, William Wollaston, Francis Hutcheson, Joseph Butler, John Balguy, John Gay.

Volume II: Hume—Bentham: David Hume, David Hartley, Richard Price, Adam Smith, William Paley, Thomas Reid, Jeremy Bentham.

“These two attractive volumes replace Selby-Bigge’s well-known collection. . . . The present selection is superior in several respects. It is more inclusive, now that Hume, Hartley, Reid, and Cumberland are put in. . . . It is better arranged, the writers now appearing in chronological order. And besides reediting of the texts, the analytical index has been enormously enlarged and improved. . . . The book will be much more useful to students than its predecessor.”
     —British Book News

Contains the most helpful version of Hobbes’s political and moral philosophy available in English. Includes the only English translation of De Homine, chapters X-XV. Features the English translation of De Cive attributed to Hobbes.