Thinking Through Utilitarianism

"A wonderfully executed introduction to utilitarianism that is unlike anything else on the market. It begins with a set of structural issues facing any ethical theory and then carefully shows how utilitarianism fills in that structure by considering the choices it faces at each step. In the way the reader is led from one distinction to the next (as each structural issue is addressed) and in the accessible, conversational style of the prose, the book also has the feel of a philosophical dialogue. It sets out the leading commitments of the view and then breaks down precisely how each commitment might be challenged and defended. The book will be an excellent resource for students who have already been introduced to utilitarianism and want to get clearer—much clearer—on the implications of accepting the view."
—Piers Norris Turner, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Center for Ethics and Human Values, The Ohio State University