Justice for hedgehogs /

"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." Dworkin (NYU) is a self-proclaimed hedgehog who argues that value is the one big thing. He examines "the metaphysics of value, the character of truth, the conditions of genuine agreement and disagreement, the phenomenon of moral responsibility, and the so-called problem of free will as well as more traditional issues of ethical, moral, and legal theory." Even if foxes find much to sniff at and hedgehogs of other persuasions much to snort at, Dworkin's synoptic and integrated view deserves close attention. Those familiar with his voluminous writing over the past 40 years will find little that is new, but here Dworkin presents his unified position. Dworkin is a strong "moral realist"; despite being coy about how he establishes his fundamental claims, he maintains that value is part of the furniture of the world. As a leading legal, political, and--more recently--moral philosopher, Dworkin deserves to be taken seriously. Those familiar with his writings will find the same obscurities and frustrations that critics always have found. Those coming to Dworkin for the first time will find a fitting valedictory to a stunning academic career and a continuing career as a public intellectual. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above. H. Oberdiek Swarthmore College

Dworkin (law & philosophy, New York Univ.; jurisprudence, Univ. Coll., London; Is Democracy Possible Here?) bases his title and theme here on ancient Greek poet Archilochus's line that "the fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." That one big thing for Dworkin is "value," more specifically and principally, "ethical and moral values." He starts by asking, "What causes you to have the opinions you do about right and wrong, and where do these opinions come from?" He devotes the rest of this long book to trying to satisfactorily answer these deep questions. To do so he reviews pertinent thinking from writers-philosophers, poets, playwrights, composers, historians-both ancient and contemporary. VERDICT The narrative is convoluted and encumbering and reads like a philosopher's lecture delivered to an audience rather than to the reader; it will be a tough read for any but the very philosophically informed. Because of this, lay readers attracted by the book's title would probably find it ultimately puzzling. The advanced nature of the philosophical thought makes this book most suited for academic ethics collections, for which it is highly recommended.-Leon H. Brody, Falls Church, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.