Social Ethics Today
Edition: 2
Copyright: 2016
Pages: 508
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$104.17
Social Ethics Today is an attempt to achieve, perhaps, the impossible: to satisfy the committed professor of philosophy that the freshman philosophy student has confronted and mastered academically respectable philosophy and instill a respect for the subject within the heart and mind of contemporary students.
Students will find a combination of both depth and relevance. The pedagogically unique “conceptual trees” flow chart of argumentation will, for the first time, clearly and graphically layout the inner windings of thought of the great philosophers. The student will come away the richer for grappling with the complexities and not, as sadly is often the case, the poorer for giving up in a fog of complexity.
There is enough content provided to enable the student to write a substantial essay in philosophy, and, perhaps, a term paper. The trend to dumbing down the field, or surrendering to “cognitive science,” is as regrettable as it is tragic. Social Ethics: Classical & Applied is traditional in that it tackles the eternal and peculiarly philosophical contributions of deep analysis as brought to bear on actual problems that beset mankind. The pedagogically nouveau “conceptual trees” are of use in the service of ancient techniques. Future students can use these to find their own ways into the timeless depths of philosophical perplexity. Unlike some attempts to attract students, Carroll's approach is decidedly not trendy, though it is contemporary. Living philosophy will always pertain to what is “happening now,” but it will never serve the narrow interests of those who only know what is happening now. This text knits together these two strands of intellectual activity, the ancient and the modern, to attract the next generation of the thoughtful.
Foreword
Preface
General Introduction
Chapter 1 Classical Sources of Social Philosophy
Chapter 2 The Abortion Debate
Chapter 3 The Justice of War and the Moral Challenge of Terrorism
Chapter 4 The Death Penalty Debate
Chapter 5 The Famine Challenge: Universal Rights and Duties for the Twenty-First Century
Chapter 6 The Morality of Stem Cell and Eugenic Research
Chapter 7 Free Speech and the Limits of Government Control
Chapter 8 Euthanasia: The Morality of Merciful Killing
Chapter 9 Affirmative Action: The Justice of Unequal Treatment in an Unequal World
Chapter 10 Health Care Rights
Chapter 11 Sexuality and Traditional Ethics
Chapter 12 The Rights of Nature and Animals
This is a fine anthology. The introductions by Thomas C. Carroll, Jr., deftly and judiciously set the stage for the various discussions among classical and modern social philosophers. Students will find this text exciting, and teachers will be reminded of the richness and subtlety of our tradition. I have always, with one tragic exception, avoided the temptation to teach an introductory course; but now I can’t wait to succumb.
Burleigh T. Wilkins
University of California, Santa Barbara
Finding the right collection of readings for critical thinking courses, whether they reside in English, humanities, or philosophy departments, can be daunting. Many collections take overly broad approaches to themes or issues, some failing to include selections that reflect the discursive evolution of ideas over time.
It was with great enthusiasm that I encountered Thomas Carroll’s Social Ethics: Classical and Applied. In reviewing Professor Carroll’s new anthology, I was impressed by its readings, which reflect the best minds addressing substantive issues. While each reading stands on its own, both in terms of its argument and exposition, the readings, as a group, provide the conversational flow that is the history of ideas and reflect the inter-relationships and varied perspectives that come with rigorous intellectual exchange.
In addition to the philosophy classroom, I think Social Ethics works exceptionally well as the primary text in advanced composition courses, honors programs, and humanities core experiences. I heartily recommend its adoption in all of these applications.
Kevin O’Connor, Ph.D.
Dean, Liberal Arts and learning Resources
Saddleback College
In the current academic climate of revising core requirements and developing interdisciplinary programs to achieve greater relevance in the undergraduate liberal arts curriculum, Professor Carroll’s Social Ethics: Classical and Applied textbook is the makings of a successful dynamic new course. As a social scientist who once took Professor Carroll’s provocative social ethics course over twenty years ago, this text reminded me once again of how his keen sense of detail and order in addressing social questions inspired me to also seek a Ph.D.
Now as a teacher of undergraduate students myself, this text gives me greater insight into why he was such a successful teacher. It’s all there: the timely issues, the conflicts and debates, the classic thinkers, the homework questions, the challenge to systematically examine and clarify one’s own thought process, and the rigorous analytic guidelines to clear thinking necessary to engage in social discourse that epitomizes Professor Carroll’s teaching style.
This book represents the work of a mature scholar who builds a vast bridge between the humanities and the social sciences to give students the intellectual scaffolding and confidence to think about and discuss the difficult moral issues of their age. It is the perfect text for an interdisciplinary course in social ethics, taught by humanities or social science instructors. It would be an especially great text for an honor’s program course.
Barbara J. Dilly
Associate Professor of Sociology/Anthropology
Creighton University, Omaha, NE