Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring
Our self-image as moral, well-behaved creatures is dogged by scepticism,
relativism, hypocrisy, and nihilism, and by the fear that in a Godless
world science has unmasked us as creatures fated by our genes to be
selfish and tribalistic, or competitive and aggressive. Here, Simon
Blackburn tackles the major moral questions surrounding birth, death,
happiness, desire, and freedom, showing us how we should think about the
meaning of life, and why we should mistrust the soundbite-sized
absolutes that often dominate moral debates.
This second edition of the Very Short Introduction on Ethics has
revised and updated aspects of the original to reflect changing times
and mores. It highlights the importance of an understanding of
approaches to ethics and its foundations, confronted as we are with a
fluid and uncertain world of eroding trust, swirling conspiracy
theories, and a dismaying loss of respect in public discourse.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford
University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject
area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new
subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis,
perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and
challenging topics highly readable.
