Science and ethics : can science help us make wise moral judgments? /

The aim of this anthology is to discuss and defend the value of rational argument and scientific knowledge for arriving at sound ethical conclusions. In this way the editor hopes to encourage discussion of an alternative to thoroughly subjective accounts of morality and also to the idea that objective moral standards need a religious foundation. The book contains 30 essays, divided into nine sections. The first six sections address issues in applied ethics such as cloning, capital punishment, and euthanasia. Here one finds authors arguing, for example, that a better understanding of embryonic development helps to clarify some of the moral issues surrounding abortion, and that respect for individual autonomy requires implementation of a market for kidneys. The last three sections are focused on more theoretical issues. Overall, the essays carefully address issues of interest to professionals, while being clearly written and accessible to a general audience. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above. J. H. Spence Adrian College