Theories of Ethics

Theories of Ethics offers a comprehensive survey of the major schools and figures in moral philosophy, from Socrates to the present day. Written entirely in non-technical language, it aims to be introductory without being elementary, so that readers may quickly engage with selected readings from classic sources. The writings of major philosophers are explained in a structured exploration of recurrently important issues about right and wrong, good and evil, social relations and religious meaning. Primary sources include extracts from Aristotle, Camus, Hume, Kant, Locke, Mill, Nietzsche, Plato, Reid, and Sartre, as well as Aldo Leopold and James Lovelock. Highlights include comprehensive treatment of the objective/subjective debate, social contract theory, Nietzsche on morality, recent interpretations of Kant, the relation between morality and the existence of God, and a full chapter on environmental ethics.