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The Legacy of Socrates: Essays in Moral Philosophy

James Rachels and Edited by Stuart Rachels

January, 2007
Cloth, 264 pages,
ISBN: 978-0-231-13844-4
$37.50 / £22.00

"Highly recommended." — Library Journal

"James Rachels always writes clearly, in a manner that is easy to read and has a personal touch. It is as if he is in an armchair, speaking to you as a friend. This collection covers the range of topics for which he is best known—the ethics of how we should treat animals, life and death issues in medical practice and other topics in bioethics, and the nature of ethics. It displays all the author's characteristic virtues: clarity, thoughtfulness, a willingness to provoke, a sense of humor, a broadly humane vision, and a relaxed style of writing. Great reading for philosophers and for those who simply want to know more about how philosophers write and think about ethical issues." — Peter Singer, Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University

"James Rachels had a gift for revealing with luminous clarity certain truths of which we seem to be unaware but that we immediately recognize as obvious once they're called to our attention. In this and in certain other respects, he reminds me of Bertrand Russell. His writing is subtly witty, limpid, and highly accessible, though one senses the erudition behind it. Also like Russell, Rachels was a charming and likable champion of heretical views. His virtues are all on display in this important and enjoyable posthumous collection." — Jeff McMahan, professor of philosophy, Rutgers University

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About the Author

James Rachels (1941-2003) was university professor of philosophy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He wrote The End of Life: Euthanasia and Morality, Created from Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism, Can Ethics Provide Answers?, The Elements of Moral Philosophy (four editions), and Problems from Philosophy. Stuart Rachels is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Alabama. A former U.S. Chess Champion and a Life Master at bridge, he wrote the fifth edition of The Elements of Moral Philosophy and edited the fourth edition of The Right Thing to Do: Basic Readings in Moral Philosophy. His scholarly articles have appeared in numerous journals.

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