Arguments about ethics often centre on traditional questions of, for instance, euthanasia and abortion. Whilst these questions are still in the foreground, recent years have seen an explosion of new moral problems. Moral and political clashes are now as likely to be about sexuality and gender and the status of refugees, immigrants and borders, or the ethics of social media, safe spaces, disability and robo-ethics.
How should we approach these debates? What are the issues at stake? What are the most persuasive arguments? Edited by best-selling philosophy author David Edmonds, Ethics and the Contemporary World assembles a star-studded line-up of philosophers to explore twenty-five of the most important ethical problems confronting us today. They engage with moral problems in race and gender, the environment, war and international relations, global poverty, ethics and social media, democracy, rights and moral status, and science and technology.
Whether you want to learn more about the ethics of poverty, food, extremism, or artificial intelligence and enhancement, this book will help you understand the issues, sharpen your perspective and, hopefully, make up your own mind.
Preface and Acknowledgements
Part 1: Race and Gender
1. Profiling and Discrimination David Edmonds
2. Feminism and the Demands of Beauty Heather Widdows and Gulzaar Barn
Part 2: The Environment
3. The Environment and Geoengineering Stephen Gardiner
4. Population and Life Extension Hilary Greaves
Part 3: War and International Relations
5. Immigration and Borders: Who should be allowed in? Gillian Brock
6. War and Legitimate Targets Helen Frowe
7. Counter-Terrorism and Lethal Force Seumas Miller
Part 4: Global poverty
8. Humanitarian Intervention Allen Buchanan
9. Religion and Politics Tony Coady
10. Charity and Partiality Theron Pummer
Part 5: Ethics and social media
11. Social media and friendship Rebecca Roache
12. The internet and privacy Carissa Veliz
13. Fake News and Free Speech Neil Levy
Part 6: Democracy
14. Extremism Steve Clarke
15. Microaggression Regina Rini
16. Free Speech Roger Crisp
Part 7: Rights and Moral Status
17. The Child’s Right to Bodily Integrity Brian Earp
18. Disability Guy Kahane
19. Embryo Research Katrien Devolder
20. Abortion Francesca Minerva
21. Euthanasia Dominic Wilkinson
22. Eating Meat Jeff McMahan
Part 8: Science and Technology
23. Genetic Selection Thomas Douglas
24. Human Enhancement Julian Savulescu
25. AI and Robot Ethics John Tasioulas.
Index
Biography
David Edmonds is Distinguished Research Fellow at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, UK, and a BBC journalist. His books include Would You Kill The Fat Man? and (with John Eidinow) Rousseau’s Dog and Wittgenstein’s Poker. With Nigel Warburton, he runs the popular 'Philosophy Bites' podcast series, which has had 38 million downloads. @DavidEdmonds100
"This is a superb collection of 25 short chapters on current ethical issues. The pieces included are accessible, brisk and often arresting, ensuring that the book will have an important role to play in both philosophical and public discussion." - Philip Pettit, Princeton University, USA, and Australian National University