Historical Dictionary of Ethics

Abstract

Ethics, the practical part of philosophy, tries to answer three questions central to human life: What kind of person should I be? What should I do? How should I decide? It defines, describes, and explains the important terms, concepts, theories, and thinkers from all areas and eras of the history of ethics: from ‘Abba Mika’el to Zhuangzi, from the Abilene Paradox to Zen Buddhism, including such central figures as Aristotle, Hegel, Kant, and Plato as well as lesser-known thinkers such as Clarke, Fichte, Meinong, and Xenophon. It covers Western and non-Western traditions, and presents detailed treatments of ancient and medieval ethics, including discussions of each of Plato’s dialogues that concerns ethical topics. It covers both analytic and continental approaches to contemporary moral thinking.

Historical Dictionary of Ethics, Second Edition contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 600 cross-referenced entries on the important terms, concepts, theories, and thinkers from all areas and eras of the history of ethics. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about ethics.