Archive for the ‘ethics’ Category

3 Nov

Why I Left Goldman Sachs By Greg Smith

Posted by Chris MacDonald in Business Ethics, economics, ethics.

Here’s a review, by Philip Mause, of Greg Smith’s book, Why I Left Goldman Sachs

The link to the review is here: Book Review: Why I Left Goldman Sachs By Greg Smith

Mause’s bottom line:

Greg Smith’s book is a good read and provides some useful insight into Wall Street trading operations. … But to the extent that it purports to be a detailed indictment of Goldman Sachs, the book falls short.

You can buy the book on Amazon, by clicking here: Why I Left Goldman Sachs
(As always, no endorsement is implied.)

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28 Sep

SuperCooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed

Posted by Chris MacDonald in Business Ethics, economics, ethics, evolution, Moral psychology, politics, Uncategorized.

Here’s a review, by David Willetts , of Martin Nowak and Roger Highfield’s book, SuperCooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed

The link to the review is here: The invisible hand that binds us all

Willetts’s bottom line:

Like other great controversialists, Mr Nowak moves from decision matrices to emotive moral language. He says the best strategy is to be hopeful, generous and forgiving. Hopeful means you first try co-operation – your opening move should be positive. Generous means not to be as concerned where you are relative to others as to obscure your own gains from interaction even if they are more modest. Forgiving means if someone else defects, you do not defect straightaway but try to re-establish co-operation, not least because it could have been an accidental mistake.
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We cannot just offer freedom, opportunity and choice without also recognising the power of belonging, commitment and roots. But all politicians can draw inspiration and ideas from the intellectual resources of this exciting approach.

You can buy the book on Amazon, by clicking here: SuperCooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed
(As always, no endorsement is implied.)

13 Jul

Blind Spots

Posted by Chris MacDonald in cognition, ethics, Moral psychology.

Here’s a review, by Harvey Schachter, of Max Bazerman and Ann Tenbrunsel’s book, Blind Spots: Why We Fail to Do What’s Right and What to Do about It

The link to the review is here: Ethics become blurred when end justifies the means

Schachter’s bottom line:

This book is a step toward that training, bringing together a host of studies by the authors and others that probe how easy it is for us act less ethically than we would like. The book also shows how organizations can take advantage of these findings in behavioural ethics to change their informal culture and reduce the chances that they will follow the News of the World into oblivion.

You can buy the book on Amazon, by clicking here: Blind Spots
(As always, no endorsement is implied.)

8 Mar

Social Ethics

Posted by Chris MacDonald in ethics, religion.

Here’s a review, by Rev. Thomas Strieter, of Gary Dorrien’s book, Social Ethics in the Making: Interpreting an American Tradition

The link to the review is here: Book Review: Social Ethics in the Making

Strieter’s bottom line:

Dorrein’s thought-provoking book has significance for progressives of every stripe. It is particularly useful for students and scholars, but it is eminently readable and can fill an important gap in the thought of people on the Left. For those who think that American Christianity is represented only by the dangerous antics of the religious Right, it will offer hope that there are many progressive people in faith communities with whom we can find common cause.

You can buy the book on Amazon, by clicking here: Social Ethics in the Making: Interpreting an American Tradition
(As always, no endorsement is implied.)

25 Jan

Moral Luck

Posted by Chris MacDonald in ethics, moral theory.

Here’s a review, by Carsten Fogh Nielsen, of Nafsika Athanassoulis’s book, Morality, Moral Luck and Responsibility

The link to the review is here: REVIEW — Morality, Moral Luck and Responsibility: Fortune’s Web

Nielsen’s bottom line:

In short: Athanassoulis’ book represents a valuable and historically informed contribution to the discussion of moral luck. The discussions of Kant and Aristotle are adequate given the aim and scope of the book, but do not provide any new insights into the central doctrines of these two thinkers. But that is not necessarily a problem since exegesis is not the primary purpose of the book.
Though the notion of moral luck is not nearly as popular or central for discussions within moral philosophy as it was a decade ago, the problems raised by this concept and the question of whether contingent factors outside the agent’s own control can and should influence our moral assessment of the agent, remain as pressing as ever. Athanassoulis’ books should be read as an attempt to provide us with a better, more adequate, grasp of this question, and as such it is quite successful.

You can buy the book on Amazon, by clicking here: Morality, Moral Luck and Responsibility
(As always, no endorsement is implied.)

29 Dec

Neuroethics

Posted by Chris MacDonald in bioethics, ethics, Moral psychology.

Here’s a review, by Laura Cabrera, of Martha J. Farah’s book, Neuroethics: An Introduction With Readings

The link to the review is here: Neuroethics

Carbera’s bottom line:

Neuroethics: an Introduction with Readings is a very welcome and readable addition to the literature covering this new and challenging field of ethical inquiry. It is not only a book that provides ethical awareness concerning the issues that appear as a consequence of understanding more about our brains, it is also a book that engages the brain of the reader and as such deserves to be read by those interested in gaining more insight into what makes us who we are.

You can buy the book on Amazon, by clicking here: Neuroethics
(As always, no endorsement is implied.)

22 Nov

Ethics of Abortion

Posted by Chris MacDonald in abortion, ethics, women.

Here’s a review, by Don Marquis, of Christopher Kaczor’s book, The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice

The link to the review is here: The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice

(It’s worth noting that Marquis himself is an eminent scholar of this topic — I’ve taught his work in my own bioethics class.)

Marquis’s bottom line:

Even though I believe that the positive arguments for Kaczor’s core syllogism do not survive analysis, I also believe that this book is worth careful study by anyone interested in the ethics of abortion. I think that it is the best book-length critique of the many defenses of abortion choice. Its analyses of defenses of abortion choice that have appeared in the last decade make it especially valuable and interesting.

You can buy the book on Amazon, by clicking here: The Ethics of Abortion: Women’s Rights, Human Life, and the Question of Justice
(As always, no endorsement is implied.)