Ethical Questions: East and West

by Bina Gupta

Overview

Ethical Questions: East and West is an anthology of source material from various Eastern and Western traditions, addressing fundamental and enduring questions in moral philosophy. It is intended for use in undergraduate level comparative ethics courses. Each section begins with an introductory essay in which the leading ethical questions and their responses from different traditions are presented in overview. Sections are centered around ethical questions such as, Who Am I? What Ought I to Do? What Kind of Person Ought I to Be? Questions of religion and morality, freedom, and the just society are also included. Ancient and modern sources are examined, ranging from the Buddha, Aristotle, and Upanishads to Kant, Simone de Beauvoir, and Alasdair MacIntyre. Ethical Questions provides a comprehensive, comparative introduction to key ethical concepts, stressing the importance of diverse traditions in the global community, and encouraging understanding between and among traditions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742513136
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	04/16/2002
Series:	Philosophy and the Global Context
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.65(d)

About the Author

Bina Gupta is professor of philosophy and director of the South Asia Studies Area and Language Center at the University of Missouri, and co-editor with J. N. Mohanty of Philosophical Questions: East and West (Rowman & Littlefield, 2000).

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 General Introduction Part 2 Who Am I? Chapter 3 1.Introduction Chapter 4 Chandogya Upanishad, The Nature of the Self Chapter 5 Katha Upanisad, "Nachiketas and Death" Chapter 6 Plato, The Allegory of the Cave. Chapter 7 Thomas Hobbes, Egoism and Human Nature Chapter 8 Mencius, Human Nature Chapter 9 Simone de Beauvoir, Women as the Second Sex Chapter 10 Gautama Buddha, "King Milinda and Nagasena on Annatta" Part 11 III. What Ought I to Do? Chapter 12 Introduction Chapter 13 The Bible, "The Ten Commandments" Chapter 14 Immanuel Kant, The Categorical Imperative Chapter 15 John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism Chapter 16 Mo Tzu, "Universal Love" Chapter 17 The Mahabharata, Precepts for Life Chapter 18 The Bhagavad Gita, Duty in the Gita Chapter 19 Edward Conze, "The Five Buddhist Precepts" and the Rules of Monastic Restraint Part 20 What Kind of Person Ought I to Be? Chapter 21 Introduction Chapter 22 Aristotle, Virtue Ethics Chapter 23 Gautama Buddha, The Teachings of the Buddha Chapter 24 Gautama Buddha, The Five Cardinal Virtues Chapter 25 Confucius, The Teachings of Confucius Chapter 26 Bhagavad Gita, Virtues in the Gita Chapter 27 Alasdair MacIntyre, "The Nature of the Virtues" Part 28 Religion and Morality, Freedom, and Just Society Chapter 29 Introduction Chapter 30 Is Religion the Source of Morality? Chapter 31 Emile Brunner, The Divine Imperative Chapter 32 Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Religion and Morality Chapter 33 Herbert Fingarette, Human Community as Holy Rite Chapter 34 Are We Free? Chapter 35 St. Augustine, Evil, Providence, Foreknowledge, and Free Will Chapter 36 Aristotle, Continence and Incontinence Chapter 37 Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Karma and Freedom Chapter 38 Edward Conze, Emancipation and Nirvana Chapter 39 Lao-tzu, Tao Te Ching Part 40 What is a Just Society? Chapter 41 Mahatma Gandhi, Swaraj—Freedom and Self-Rule Chapter 42 2. John Rawls, "Justice as Fairness"

Editorial Reviews

This is just the sort of volume that I would use as a textbook to introduce undergraduate students to the variety of ways the central questions of ethics were formulated and answered in the major philosophical traditions. The selections are well-chosen, and the introductory essays are excellent.

J. N. Mohanty

Bina Gupta's new book of readings, Ethical Questions: East and West, is a welcome addition to the literature in comparative philosophy. Professor Gupta breaks interesting philosophical ground with this text of well-chosen and highly readable classics drawn from the world's ethical literature.--A.L. Herman, Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Ethical Questions: East and West is an excellent choice for anyone wishing to teach an ethics course spanning Eastern and Western traditions. Instructors not familiar with Eastern thought will learn as much from the well-written introductions as their students.--Gene James, University of Memphis

This is just the sort of volume that I would use as a textbook to introduce undergraduate students to the variety of ways the central questions of ethics were formulated and answered in the major philosophical traditions. The selections are well-chosen, and the introductory essays are excellent.--J. N. Mohanty, Temple University

From the Publisher

This is just the sort of volume that I would use as a textbook to introduce undergraduate students to the variety of ways the central questions of ethics were formulated and answered in the major philosophical traditions. The selections are well-chosen, and the introductory essays are excellent.

J.N. Mohanty

A collection of source materials, from European and Asian traditions of moral philosophy, presented by Gupta (philosophy, U. of Missouri at Columbia). Thematic sections offer writings addressing questions of individual and societal questions, drawing from such sources as the Upanisads, Thomas Hobbes, Gautama Buddha, Simone de Beauvoir, the Bible, John Stuart Mill, Mo Tzu, the Mahabharata, Ramakrishnan, St. Augustine, Lao-tsu, and John Rawls. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Ethical Questions: East and West is an excellent choice for anyone wishing to teach an ethics course spanning Eastern and Western traditions. Instructors not familiar with Eastern thought will learn as much from the well-written introductions as their students.

Gene James

Bina Gupta's new book of readings, Ethical Questions: East and West, is a welcome addition to the literature in comparative philosophy. Professor Gupta breaks interesting philosophical ground with this text of well-chosen and highly readable classics drawn from the world's ethical literature.

A.L. Herman