Can it be justifiable to commit oneself 'by faith' to a religious claim when its truth lacks adequate support from one's total available evidence? In Believing by Faith, John Bishop defends a version of fideism inspired by William James's 1896 lecture 'The Will to Believe'. By critiquing both 'isolationist' (Wittgensteinian) and Reformed epistemologies of religious belief, Bishop argues that an…
Popular Harvard University professor Michael Sandel presents students with ethical dilemmas on modern day issues -- such as affirmative action, same-sex marriage, physician-assisted suicide, abortion, national service, patriotism and dissent, and the moral limits of markets -- then conducts lively, engaging, and remarkably intimate debates that challenge students moral reasoning. These lectures…
For thirty years, Peter Singer's Practical Ethics has been the classic introduction to applied ethics. For this third edition, the author has revised and updated all the chapters and added a new chapter addressing climate change, one of the most important ethical challenges of our generation. Some of the questions discussed in this book concern our daily lives. Is it ethical to buy luxuries whe…
We are approaching the day when advances in biotechnology will allow parents to "design" a baby with the traits they want. The continuing debate over possibilities of genetic engineering has ben spirited, but so far largely confined to the realms of bioethics and public policy. Design and Destiny approaches the question in religious terms, discussing human germline modification (the generic mod…
The history of moral dilemma theory often ignores the medieval period, overlooking the sophisticated theorizing by several thinkers who debated the existence of moral dilemmas from 1150 to 1450. In this book Michael V. Dougherty offers a rich and fascinating overview of the debates which were pursued by medieval philosophers, theologians and canon lawyers, illustrating his discussion with a div…
A defining work of moral philosophy, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals has been highly influential and famously difficult. Dieter Schönecker and Allen Wood make clear the ways this work forms the basis of our modern moral outlook and how moral law relates to freedom and free will within Kant's overall philosophy.
Hegel’s Outlines of the Philosophy of Right is one of the greatest works of moral, social, and political philosophy, comparable in scope and profundity of insight to Plato’s Republic, Aristotle’s Politics, Rousseau’s Social Contract, and, in the twentieth century, Rawls’s Theory of Justice.........
A companion to ethics should be a companion for two kinds of inquirers. The first consists, of course, of students and teachers of philosophy. The second comprises a much wider group– anyone who is interested in the state of philosophical ethics today, and the history of how we got to where we are....
It gives me great pleasure to provide this preface to the revised edition of A Theory of Justice. Despite many criticisms of the original work, I still accept its main outlines and defend its central doctrines. Of course, I wish, as one might expect, that I had done certain things differently, and I would now make a number of important revisions. But if I were writing A Theory of Justice over a…
In the stressful world of the twenty-first century, many active people are in need of advice on how to reconcile the competing demands of ambition and happiness, work and family, friendship and competition. Mutatis mutandis, the same holds true for the Roman Empire, when, as has been emphasized in a number of studies over the last decade or so, the elite was engaged in a constant struggle for p…
On What Matters is a major work in moral philosophy. It is the long-awaited follow-up to Derek Parfit's 1984 book Reasons and Persons, one of the landmarks of twentieth-century philosophy. In this first volume Parfit presents a powerful new treatment of reasons and rationality, and a critical examination of three systematic moral theories -- Kant's ethics, contractualism, and consequentialism -…
Besides the fact that Ethics, Education, and Eschatology all begin with the letter E readers may find the combination strange. However, the three are important themes in Calvin’s works that help to explain the development of western thought and action. Ethics is perhaps the most obvious theme to be found in his work as his first attempt at publication was on ethics; his work on Seneca’s De …
Immanuel Kant’s moral theory presupposes a theory of action that has not been well understood. As a consequence, his moral theory has not been well understood, at least in parts. So this book develops an interpretation of Kant’s theory of action in order to help us better understand his moral theory.
Presented here in a new translation, with a historical introduction by the translators, "Fear and Trembling and Repetition" are the most poetic and personal of Soren Kierkegaard's pseudonymous writings. Published in 1843 and written under the names Johannes de Silentio and Constantine Constantius, respectively, the books demonstrate Kierkegaard's transmutation of the personal into the lyrically…
This book tests the explanatory and descriptive power of the doctrine of sin in relation to two concrete situations: sexual abuse of children and the holocaust. Taking seriously the explanatory power of secular discourses for analysing and regulating therapeutic action in relation to such situations, the book asks whether the theological language of sin can offer further illumination by speakin…
Apologist Paul Copan takes on some of the most vexing accusations of our time, including that God is arrogant and jealous, punishes people too harshly, is guilty of ethnic cleansing, oppresses women, and endorses slavery. He also challenges the accusation that Christianity causes violence. Copan not only answers God's critics, he also shows how to read both the Old and New Testaments faithfully…
Wide-ranging and ambitious, Justice combines moral philosophy and Christian ethics to develop an important theory of rights and of justice as grounded in rights. Nicholas Wolterstorff discusses what it is to have a right, and he locates rights in the respect due the worth of the rights-holder. After contending that socially-conferred rights require the existence of natural rights, he argues tha…
These essays examine the seven deadly sins as cultural constructions in the Middle Ages and beyond, focusing on the way concepts of the sins are used in medieval communities, the institution of the Church, and by secular artists and authors.
What does it mean to forgive? The answer is widely assumed to be self-evident but critical analysis quickly reveals the complexities of the subject. Forgiveness has traditionally been the preserve of Christian theology, though in the last half century - and at an accelerating pace - psychologists, lawyers, politicians and moral philosophers have all been making an important contribution to ques…
"A survey of moral theology from its biblical origins to the eve of the Reformation, demonstrating that Reformed moral sensibilities were received and developed from the greater church tradition"-- Provided by publisher
Nothing confuses Christian ethics quite like the Old Testament. Some faithful readers struggle through its pages and conclude that they must obey its moral laws but may disregard its ceremonial and civil laws. Others abandon its teaching altogether in favor of a strictly New Testament ethic. Neither option, argues Chris Wright, gives the Old Testament its due. In this innovative approach to …
Provocative and sophisticated, Truth in Aquinas is a fascinating re-evaluation of a key area - truth - in the work of Thomas Aquinas
All too often, argues Ben Witherington, the theology of the New Testament has been divorced from its ethics, leaving as isolated abstractions what are fully integrated, dynamic elements within the New Testament itself. As Witherington stresses, "behavior affects and reinforces or undoes belief." Having completed commentaries on all of the New Testament books, a remarkable feat in itself, Wither…
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was one of the leading religious figures of the 20th century and the chief spokesman of American Catholicism. Previously unpublished, this work reflects his 16 years of service as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and 26 years on radio and television. It is the only work where he describes his Christian philosophy. Sheen created this co…
Outline: Abortion, Fetal Issue Use, Euthanasia, Civil Disobedience, Divorce and Remarriage, Genetic Engineering and Screening, Artificial Insemination, Freezing Embryos, Cloning, Surrogate Motherhood, Homosexuality, Capital Punishment, Sexual Minority, Birth Control, Nuclear Arms, War. "So much is changing today in regard to the control of life and death and the understanding of human sexuality…
Outline: For years, William Gouge's Domestical Duties has stood as the foremost Puritan treatment of Christian family life. Yet due to its size and antiquated expression, it has become almost unknown among current generations of believers. To help revive the usefulness of this classic book, Scott Brown and Joel R. Beeke divided Gouge's work into three manageable volumes, updated the language to…
Outline : Christian, meet your conscience. What do you do when you disagree with other Christians? How do you determine which convictions are negotiable and which are not? How do you get along with people who have different personal standards? All of these questions have to do with the conscience. Yet there is hardly a more neglected topic among Christians. In this much-needed book, a New Testa…
Outline: Bonhoeffer's theological brilliance, committed discipleship, ecumenical insight and courageous participation in the struggle against Nazism have profoundly shaped contemporary Christian understanding and action. Although his early death at the hands of the Gestapo prevented him from providing us with a full and systematic theology, his writings are remarkably extensive and have become …
Outline: Disagreement on ethical issues overlays a lack of consensus today on even deeper issues of method and authority in ethics. Yet, argues theologian William Lazareth, a major ecumenical resource and model for Christian social ethics lies in Martin Luther's use of Scripture as ethical source and norm. Lazareth rescues Luther's Christocentric reading of Scripture and his ethics from largely…
Outline: Featuring more than 100 case studies, this timely volume explores ethical questions arising from real-world situations faced by health professionals, patients, and others. The most comprehensive and up-to-date collection of its kind, Case Studies in Biomedical Ethics : Decision-Making, Principles, and Cases, Second Edition, explores fundamental ethical questions arising from real situa…
Outline: The essays in this book demonstrate that a theology shaped by the biblical narratives and grounded in the practices of the Christian community can provide resources to enable people to regain a public voice in a pluralistic culture. Ronald Thiemann challenges us to develop a public theology that remains based in the particulars of Christian faith while addressing issues of public signi…
Outline: In this challenging book, four highly respected thinkers discuss the need for a renewal of Christian ethical reflection in a dramatically changed world and articulate their distinctive points of view on how this can responsibly be done. This book is thus both a call for renewal in our thinking and acting, and an introduction to the issue that must be addressed by any meaningful respon…
Outline: In this bold and compelling work, the author undertakes to reframe the central issues of Christian theodicy. By the author's estimate, theologians still draw too heavily on Augustine's response to the problem of evil. attributing pain and suffering to the mysterious "good" purposes of God. Through a close and sophisticated reading of both Old and New Testaments, the author argues tha…
Outline: Breaking down complex philosophical issues into a step-by-step self-help guide, the founder of the Institute for Global Ethics shows us how to grapple with everyday issues and problems: Should I take my family on a much-needed vacation or save money for my children's education? Should we protect the endangered owl or maintain jobs for loggers? This is a unique, anecdote-rich, and arti…
Outline: This book presents the most consequential ethical writings from the earliest days of Christianity through the late twentieth century. Introductory material for each selection places each piece in its proper historical and social context. Selections include writings by Ambrose, Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, Karl Barth, Bernard of Clairvaux, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John Calvin, Catherine of Si…
Outline: - How do I resolve workplace conflicts sparked by differences of belief? - How much profit can I conscientiously seek? - Can I justify using prayer to try to beat the competition? - Should I bring up the issue of faith with my co-workers, or should I keep my beliefs to myself? It often seems difficult - if not possible - to reconcile matters of faith and business. At times it ma…
Outline: This book and its companion volume Applied Ethics provide a much-needed alternative to consequentialist orthodoxy. This book set out the basic system used to solve problems, the system that consequentialist deride as "traditional morality" and which they believe is 'dead". The central concepts, principles and distinction or traditional morality are explained and defended: rights, jus…