Why do people do evil? How can we learn to do better? Philosophers in the long-standing tradition of 'virtue ethics' argue that we act badly because of shortcomings in our character, and that we can improve by practicing virtues such as courage, honesty, and compassion. Recently, philosophical 'situationists' have issued a profound challenge to this tradition: they argue that anyone can act badly if placed in a sufficiently tempting situation, and that the goal of cultivating good character is misguided and may even be harmful. Rather than encouraging us to pursue the ideal of virtue, these philosophers propose that ethics should instead begin by recognizing the profound limits of human self-knowledge and self-control.This book critically examines the arguments and evidence on each side of this debate, with a special focus on the connections between the philosophical issues and current research in social and personality psychology. Character also includes guides to further reading that will help students deepen their understanding of this essential topic in contemporary ethics.

Product Description: Crime and punishment are emotive issues which raise important and challenging questions. Can punishment be justified? If so, then what purpose does it have? Which practices best cohere with this purpose? These and many other questions are addressed by this series of five volumes which bring together classic articles written by leading international figures in the field...read more

Julia Kristeva is a linguist, psychoanalyst and cultural theorist. This text provides a representative selection of her writings since the mid 1970s. The essays are arranged around major Kristevan themes: "The subject in Signifying Practice"; "Psychoanalysis of Love"; "Individual and National Identity"; and "Maternity, Feminism and Female Sexuality". They reflect her most salient contribution to the fields of philosophy, literary and cultural theory, linguistics, psychoanalytic theory and feminiist theory.

Product Description: Deterrence is a theory which claims that punishment is justified through preventing future crimes, and is one of the oldest and most powerful theories about punishment. The argument that punishment ought to secure crime reduction occupies a central place in criminal justice policy and is the site for much debate...read more

Product Description: In the first full length examination of the topic, Ethical Citizenship rediscovers a significant and distinctive contribution to how we might understand citizenship today. Leading international scholars bring together theory and practice to explore its historical roots, contemporary relevance and application to international politics...read more

Product Description: Global justice and international affairs is perhaps the hottest topic in political philosophy today. This book brings together some of the most important essays in this area. The essays have all appeared recently in the Journal of Moral Philosophy, an internationally recognized leading philosophy journal...read more

Brings together key foundational and contemporary writings on global justice in moral and political philosophy. Each section of this text offers a brief introduction followed by important readings on subjects ranging from sovereignty, human rights, and nationalism to global poverty, terrorism, and international environmental justice.

Hegel's Elements of the Philosophy of Right is widely acknowledged to be one of the most important works in the history of political philosophy. It is broadly agreed that Hegel intended this work to be interpreted as a significant part of his greater system of speculative philosophy. Where disagreement occurs is on the question of the relevance of Hegel's larger philosophical system to understanding his Philosophy of Right. This is the first book on the subject to take Hegel's system of speculative philosophy seriously as an important component of any robust understanding of his Philosophy of Right. It sets out the difference between 'systematic' and 'non-systematic' readings of the text before discussing important, relevant features of Hegel's system, in particular, the unique structure of his philosophical arguments.The greater part of the book demonstrates the results of this systematic reading by exploring several areas of Hegel's political philosophy: his theories of property, punishment, morality, law, monarchy, and war. It is shown that by looking beyond the text to Hegel's larger philosophical system, we can achieve an improved understanding of Hegel's Philosophy of Right.

Product Description: The capabilities approach is a widely influential alternative theory of justice, popularized by Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen and also by Martha Nussbaum. Justice and the Capabilities Approach is the first work of its kind to publish in one place the most influential essays in the field covering a number of topics, including constitutional law, cosmopolitanism, distributive justice, the family, feminism, global justice, human rights, poverty, and social justice...read more

Product Description: Tackling juvenile offending has become a key part of crime reduction strategies. The articles selected for this volume examine juvenile offending from various critical perspectives and represent the work of the most influential international figures in the field...read more

Product Description: What is the relation between law and democracy and how might it be improved? What values should inform the body of laws that govern us all? How should we determine crimes from non-crimes? What justifies state punishment, if anything? "Law and Legal Theory" brings together some of the most important essays in the area of the philosophy of law written by leading, international scholars and offering significant contributions to how we understand law and legal theory to help shape future debates...read more

Product Description: John Rawls was unquestionably the most important moral and political philosopher of the last one hundred years. His A Theory of Justice published in 1971 is already a classic text, and his political philosophy is more widely studied than that of any other theorist...read more

Product Description: John Locke is one of the most important figures in the history of philosophy. His Two Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration fascinate us as much today as they did when first published three centuries ago. Locke and Law presents for the first time in one collection the most important contemporary writings exploring his many contributions to legal theory...read more

Product Description: John Rawls (1921-2002) is widely held to be amongst the most important political philosophers for over a century. This volume, which is the first work of its kind to publish in one place the most influential essays in the field, features articles on a wide range of subjects including constitutionalism, democratic theory, egalitarianism, feminism, global justice, political liberalism, the rule of law, and public reason...read more

Product Description: Retribution is perhaps the most popular contemporary theory about punishment and has enjoyed enduring appeal as the oldest, even most venerable, penal theory with its strong ancient roots. Retribution is understood in many different ways, but the standard view of retribution is that punishment is justified where it is deserved and an offender should be punished in proportion to his desert...read more

Product Description: Jean-Jacques Rousseau stands as one of the most influential figures in the history of philosophy. His masterpiece-The Social Contract-has had a profound effect on legal and political theorists ever since its appearance. Rousseau and Law presents for the first time in one collection the most important contemporary work exploring his many contributions to legal theory...read more