Ethics - Past and Present
Johansen, Kjell Eyvind and Arne J. Vetlesen: Etikk - I historie og samtid.This book in an introduction into ethics in which the authors have chosen to present the questions raised both from an historical, as well as a systematic approacch.
In the historical section the authors deal with the interrelation between ethics and politics for individuals, groups and society at large. Particular emphasis is plasec on how these relationships worked within the Greek city states and how they later changed as a result of events such as religious civil wars, secularisation and the emergence of democracy. The debate between supporters and the emergence of democracy. The debate between supporters and critics of laissez-faire runs through this account of the development of ethical thinking and politics in recent times. The emergence of modern feminism is given paricular attention; providing interesting relections linked to the questions of ethics.
The section dealing with philosophical systems looks at questions and problems being discussed from various ethical theoretical perspectives: From the morals regulating how we act in our daily lives to matters such as discrimination based on gender and racial differences by starting from basic ethical theories, and how these provide the foundation for our values.
This book is by two authors who complement each other by combining different perspectives in an easily accessible manner, whilst at the same time challenging the readers to reflection.
About the authors:
Kjell Eyvind Johansen, PhD, is an associate professor at the University of Oslo.
Arne Johan Vetlesen, PhD, is also an associate professor at the University of Oslo. His work includes research on the relationship between feelings and morals, and on ethics in the Aristotelian tradition.
Universitetsforlaget AS 1996
ISBN 82-00-22379-5
366 pp
