Originally published in 1948, and reprinted in 1955 and updated in 1961, this book is a straightforward account of moral philosophy for students. It discusses comprehensively the contributions made by 20th Century moralists, both in terms of the interpretation of their predecessors and original ethical speculation.

This textbook draws on most of the major theoretical positions but eschews the traditional, historical approach and the use of names and schools of thought as organizing devices, and instead focuses on the ideas themselves. In doing so, it exposes a number of common confusions and misunderstandings about morality, and presents a strong argument for some indisputable truths in relation to the moral sphere.

Ethics: Essential Readings in Moral Theory is an outstanding anthology of the most important topics, theories and debates in ethics, compiled by one of the leading experts in the field. It includes sixty-six extracts covering the central domains of ethics: why be moral? the meaning of moral language morality and objectivity consequentialism deontology virtue and character value and well-being moral psychology applications: including abortion, famine relief and consent. Included are both classical extracts from Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant and Mill, as well as contemporary classics from philosophers such as Thomas Nagel, Thomas Scanlon, Martha Nussbaum, Derek Parfit, and Peter Singer. A key feature of the anthology is that it covers the perennial topics in ethics as well as very recent ones, such as moral psychology, responsibility and experimental philosophy. Each section is introduced and placed in context by the editor, making this an ideal anthology for anyone studying ethics or ethical theory.

The book approaches the subject of ethics in science from a pedagogical and pragmatic viewpoint and addresses the need to effectively deal with these issues in science classrooms at the K-12 and undergraduate levels, drawing on real-world cases to do so. The book also explores ethical issues in connection with recent biotechnological advances and urges the reader to move beyond a disciplinary understanding and adopt an interdisciplinary view of the entire issue. Intended to initiate a process of reflecting on and investigating these ethical issues related to biotechnologies, and to enable the reader to take a personal stance on these issues rather than being led by outside agencies, the book offers a source of in-depth study material for researchers working in this area, as well as a training manual for teachers at both in-service & pre-service level, teacher educators, curriculum designers and professionals working in the field. Combining theory and practice, and including teachers’ reflections on their own pedagogic practice, it offers a valuable resource to help teaching professionals conduct experiments and achieve pedagogic innovations in their own work. “‘Ethics in Science- Pedagogic Issues & Concerns’ is an excellent textbook for high school and college students that provides an overview of the ethical issues in science and technology and includes useful cases studies and questions for discussion. I recommend it highly.” —David B. Resnik, JD, PhD, Bioethicist and IRB Chair, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, USA “Given the recent proliferation of biological and biomedical knowledge, the need for education in the relationship between science and ethics has become ever increasingly essential. The book by Dr. Saxena provides a valuable introduction on how to inaugurate such an education. This book is an excellent template for those attempting to teach science and ethics.” —Bernard.E.Rollin, University Distinguished Professor, Colorado State University, Colorado, USA “This book by Dr Astha Saxena, a well-qualified educationist, fulfils a need for such a book for students of Science and Technology stream. The coverage is comprehensive and the writing is lucid. I endorse this book as it will bring a criticality of thinking among Indian students.” —Kambadur Muralidhar PhD, FASc, FNASc, FNA, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad “Science without ethics can lead to false scientific claims as well as unbridled technological growth. The present book conceptualizes this integration of ethics and science beautifully with academic rigour.” —Alka Behari, Professor, Department of Education, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India