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God, the Good, and Utilitarianism: Perspectives on Peter Singer

Paperback / softback

Main Details

Title God, the Good, and Utilitarianism: Perspectives on Peter Singer
Authors and Contributors      Edited by John Perry
Physical Properties
Format:Paperback / softback
Pages:232
Dimensions(mm): Height 228,Width 152
Category/GenreEthics and moral philosophy
Philosophy of religion
ISBN/Barcode 9781107696570
ClassificationsDewey:144.6
Audience
Professional & Vocational
Illustrations 1 Line drawings, black and white

Publishing Details

Publisher Cambridge University Press
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publication Date 20 October 2016
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

Is ethics about happiness? Aristotle thought so and for centuries Christians agreed, until utilitarianism raised worries about where this would lead. In this volume, Peter Singer, leading utilitarian philosopher and controversial defender of infanticide and euthanasia, addresses this question in conversation with Christian ethicists and secular utilitarians. Their engagement reveals surprising points of agreement and difference on questions of moral theory, the history of ethics, and current issues such as climate change, abortion, poverty and animal rights. The volume explores the advantages and pitfalls of basing morality on happiness; if ethics is teleological, is its proper aim the subjective satisfaction of preferences? Or is human flourishing found in objective goods: friendship, intellectual curiosity, meaningful labour? This volume provides a timely review of how utilitarians and Christians conceive of the good, and will be of great interest to those studying religious ethics, philosophy of religion and applied ethics.

Author Biography

John Perry is Lecturer in Theological Ethics at the University of St Andrews, and formerly McDonald Fellow for Christian Ethics and Public Life at the University of Oxford. He is the author of The Pretenses of Loyalty (2011).