Cambridge University Press Morality, Utilitarianism, and Rights

Richard Brandt is one of the most eminent and influential of contemporary moral philosophers. His work has been concerned with how to justify what is good or right not by reliance on intuitions or theories about what moral words mean but by the explanation of moral psychology and the description of what it is to value something, or to think it immoral. His approach thus stands in marked contrast to the influential work of John Rawls. The essays reprinted in this collection span a period of almost 30 years and include many classic pieces in metaethical and normative ethical theory. The collection is aimed at both those moral philosophers familiar with Brandt's work and at those philosophers who may be largely unfamiliar with his work. The latter group will be struck by the lucid unpretentious style and the cumulative weight of Brandt's contributions to topics that remain at the forefront of moral philosophy. Book Description The essays reprinted in this collection span a period of almost 30 years and include many classic pieces in metaethical and normative ethical theory. From the Back Cover The essays reprinted in this collection span a period of almost thirty years and include many classic pieces in metaethical and normative ethical theory. Among the subjects covered are the rational ways to decide what is good and what is right, key topics in utilitarianism, and the extent to which character plays a part in moral blame or legal punishment.