Very Practical Ethics Engaging Everyday Moral Questions

In Very Practical Ethics David Benatar discusses some of the moral problems that ordinary people face in their everyday lives. These are not moral problems that arise only in extraordinary circumstances, nor those which are confronted only by select people in their professional or public roles; rather, they are problems that most people face on a daily basis. They are “very practical” issues, both because of their ubiquity, and because individuals are usually able to act on their decisions.

Among these very practical questions: When is sex morally permissible? What duties does an individual have regarding the environment? When may we engage in practices such as smoking that might cause discomfort or increase the risk of harm to others? How extensive are our duties to assist the world's poor and others in dire need of help? Is it morally permissible to consume animals and their products? When is language prejudicial? Is it wrong to swear? How should we address and refer to others? When, if ever, is controversial humour morally permissible? Is it always wrong to bullshit, or to fail to call out the bullshit of others? When should we forgive--or not forgive?

Written accessibly and covering topics not often discussed by moral philosophers, Very Practical Ethics will be of interest to students and other readers who care about how we might resolve the kinds of ethical issues we all face every day.

David Benatar is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town. His books, which have been translated into multiple languages, include Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence (Oxford 2006), The Second Sexism: Discrimination against men and boys (Wiley-Blackwell, 2012), and The Human Predicament: A candid guide to life's biggest questions (Oxford, 2017). He has held visiting positions at Brandeis, Emory, and Princeton universities, the United States' National Institutes of Health, as well as at Western University, and the University of Toronto.

1. Introduction
2. Sex
3. Environment
4. Smoking
5. Giving Aid
6. Consuming animals
7. Language
8. Humour
9. Bullshit
10. Forgiveness
11. Conclusion
Index