Kamm is probably the most sophisticated deontologist writing on normative issues today

Shelley Kagan, University of Illinois

Frances Kamm's book deals with the question of the badness of death. Death is generally felt to be the worst wrong that can happen to one. Philosophers from Epicurus onwards have argued, on the contrary, that as death involves the absence of experience, and bad things involve bad sensations, death cannot be bad; also, for something to be bad, it must be bad for someone, yet as we cease to exist when we die, it cannot be bad for us. Kamm discusses this view and the objections made to it by Nagel, Williams, and others, and considers the question of whether there is an asymmetry between dying and never having come into existence; and she goes on to consider the question of saving lives, and whether it is better to save more lives at a lower level of happiness or fewer lives at a higher level of happiness. The final section of the book deals with the question of organ transplantation and the distribution of resources which are unequally available. The book contains much theoretical and methodological argument, but is firmly grounded in practical ethical issues, and is illustrated throughout by examples.
Les mer
Firmly grounded in practical ethical issues, this study discusses a variety of views on death. In particular, the author explores the question of saving lives: whether it is better to save more lives at a lower level of happiness or fewer lives at a higher level.
Les mer
"Challenging, fascinating, and frequently brilliant....An imaginative, deeply engaging philosophical adventure."--Ethics "[A] major contribution...to the literature of philosophical bioethics, and all libraries collecting in and scholars working in this area need to have [a] cop[y]....Required reading for all those interested in the theoretical issues raised by bioethical problems."--Medical Humanities Review "A mass of sincere, intense, intricate, fascinating and usually persuasive argument[s]....The great advantage of Kamm's intuitive method is that it gives proper attention to moral considerations....Kamm is by far the most detailed and painstaking analysis of fairness in this context that I know of....This book moves the philosophical discussion of life and death a long way forward."--Times Literary Supplement "One of the most imaginative and insightful books in ethics published in recent years."--Hastings Center Report "An intellectually challenging work which raises and discusses issues which should be widely debated, not only by specialists but by the public at large."--Journal of the Institute of Health Education "Frances Kamm's magisterial and pioneering study of distribution problems in life and death situations is a seminal work in this area. There can be little doubt that Morality, Mortality will quickly become, in debates concerning the sorts of distribution problems Kamm is concerned with, what Rawls's Theory of Justice is for more general debates about distributive justice.... No one interested in the debate can afford not to read it." --Journal of Medical Ethics "Challenging, fascinating, and frequently brilliant....An imaginative, deeply engaging philosophical adventure."--Ethics "[A] major contribution...to the literature of philosophical bioethics, and all libraries collecting in and scholars working in this area need to have [a] cop[y]....Required reading for all those interested in the theoretical issues raised by bioethical problems."--Medical Humanities Review "A mass of sincere, intense, intricate, fascinating and usually persuasive argument[s]....The great advantage of Kamm's intuitive method is that it gives proper attention to moral considerations....Kamm is by far the most detailed and painstaking analysis of fairness in this context that I know of....This book moves the philosophical discussion of life and death a long way forward."--Times Literary Supplement "One of the most imaginative and insightful books in ethics published in recent years."--Hastings Center Report "An intellectually challenging work which raises and discusses issues which should be widely debated, not only by specialists but by the public at large."--Journal of the Institute of Health Education "Frances Kamm's magisterial and pioneering study of distribution problems in life and death situations is a seminal work in this area. There can be little doubt that Morality, Mortality will quickly become, in debates concerning the sorts of distribution problems Kamm is concerned with, what Rawls's Theory of Justice is for more general debates about distributive justice.... No one interested in the debate can afford not to read it." --Journal of Medical Ethics "...Kamm's analysis yields many fascinating insights into metaphysical, moral, and medical aspects of death and dying....the book is immensely rich in ideas and is a significant contribution... It is impressive in its scope and the depth with which it examines these matters....Kamm challenges us to think long and hard about questions of the highest importance."--Canadian Journal of Philosophy "...a major achievement in normative ethics, one that substantially advances the philosophical discussion about death and the morality of decisions involving death in the face of scarce resources."--The Philosophical Review
Les mer

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780195077896
Publisert
1994
Utgiver
Vendor
Oxford University Press Inc
Vekt
685 gr
Høyde
160 mm
Bredde
243 mm
Dybde
25 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
352

Forfatter