Ethics - (Philosophy: The Classic Readings) by David E Cooper (Paperback)

About the Book

Ranging from Plato to Sartre and representing classic texts such as Hume's TREATISE and J.S. Mill's UTILITARIANISM, this collection brings together essential readings in ethics and moral philosophy within one book to provide a useful and concise overview of the field. It contains a diverse selection of historical writings which prove invaluable to readers interested in ethics and moral philosophy.

Book Synopsis

This is the second volume in a new series of classic readings in philosophy and collects together the central texts in the history of moral philosophy thus representing many of the most important topics in the field.

From the Back Cover

This is the second volume in a new series of classic readings in philosophy and collects together the central texts in the history of moral philosophy thus representing many of the most important topics in the field. It will serve as an invaluable resource for students of all levels taking courses in ethics or moral theory.

The texts selected range from Plato to Stevenson, and include the classics of western moral philosophy such as Aristotle's remarks on man's proper "function", Kant's discussion of "the good will" and Nietzsche's notorious "genealogy" of our moral concepts. The volume also includes some classics from other traditions such as the debate between the two Confucians, Mencius and Hsun Tzu, and the early chapters from The Bhagavad Gita.

The editor provides guidance to both the field and to each reading by including a substantial general introduction on the nature and history of philosophical ethics. There are also informative short introductions to the individual texts.

About the Author

David E. Cooper is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Durham. He is the author of a number of books including Metaphor (1986), Existentialism (1990) and World Philosophies (Blackwell Publishers, 1996) and is also editor of A Blackwell Companion to Aesthetics (Blackwell Publishers, 1992) and Aesthetics: The Classic Readings (1997).