Lexington Books Evolution and the Foundations of Ethics: Evolutionary Perspectives on Contemporary Normative and Metaethical Theories

If human biological evolution is part of our worldview, then how do commonplace notions of ethics fit in? To ask the question, "what does evolution imply about ethics?" we must first be clear about what we mean by evolution. Evolution and the Foundations of Ethics discusses four models of evolution, represented by Darwin, Dawkins, Gould, and Haught. We must also be clear about what we mean by ethics. Do we mean metaethics? If so, which variety? With metaethical theories (such as Error Theory, Expressivism, Moral Relativism, and Moral Realism), theorists are attempting to explain the general nature, status, and origins of ethics. In the first four chapters of this book (Part I), John Mizzoni examines how metaethical theories fit with evolution. Next, in asking about the implications of evolution for ethics,do we mean normative ethics? Theorists who work with normative ethical theories-such as Virtue Ethics, Natural Law Ethics, Social Contract Ethics, Utilitarian Ethics, Deontological Ethics, and Ethics of Care)-articulate and defend a normative ethics that people can and do use in a practical way when deliberating about specific actions, rules, and policies. The next six chapters (Part II) look at how normative ethical theories fit with evolution. A full reckoning of ethics and evolution demands that we consider the range of ethical elements, both metaethical and normative. Thus, this book looks at what several different models of evolution imply about four metaethical theories and six normative ethical theories. This book will be of interest to scholars interested in the intersection of evolutionary theory and ethical theory. Review The book Evolution and the Foundation of Ethics by philosopher John Mizzoni is an ambitious attempt to provide a broad-based discussion of the interface between moral philosophy and evolutionary theory. . . . Mizzoni's book is geared to students and early career researchers who might be enticed to consider ethics and meta-ethics as a subject for analysis. The main themes in this book are likely to be relevant to scholars working at the intersection between ethics and evolutionary biology or those who interested in new ways of thinking about the foundations of ethics. For philosophers of economics it may provide useful background knowledge required to follow the recent debates on the complex interplay between evolutionary biology, ethics and economics.--Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics This ambitious, interdisciplinary work explains how evolutionary ethics might elucidate recent philosophical debates over alternative normative and metaethical theories. The 11 main chapters are organized into two parts: "Evolution and Metaethics" examines error theory, expressivism, moral relativism, and moral realism; "Evolution and Normative Ethics" takes up virtue ethics, natural law, social contracts, deontology, utilitarianism, and care ethics.... [T]he book provides a good, broad-based introduction to the interface between moral theory and evolutionary ethics and provides an especially lucid summary of 20th-century moral philosophy. Most useful for those who have never studied ethical theories in depth.... Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.--CHOICE About the Author John Mizzoni is professor of philosophy at Neumann University.