Should we aim to maximize happiness? Are there characteristics that we
should foster within ourselves? Why is it important to act morally? From
the ancient Greeks to Sartre, from utilitarianism to the categorical
imperative, Ethics: A Beginner's Guide presents this vital topic of
philosophy via its most influential thinkers and theories.
With characteristic wit, philosopher Peter Cave steers us around well
known and not-so-well known ethical traps - in the private sphere, in
community life, and in relation to God and religion.
As well as a guide to ongoing theoretical debates, Cave shows how the
discipline helps us to confront topical controversies including those of
the environment, abortion, and animal welfare. For anyone who questions
how we ought to live, there is no better introduction to ethics and how
it relates to twenty-first-century society.