What Is Ethics?

This clear and concise book on moral philosophy will be of interest to both the general reader and to professional philosophers. It synthesizes contributions of moral and political philosophers of the Western tradition and provides original contributions on the source of our moral feelings and the legitimacy of government.

Building a foundation on timeless quotes by moral and political philosophers such as David Hume, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, and John Stuart Mill, it uses plain language to communicate complex concepts concisely and engagingly.

It helps provide insight to readers at a time when societies are facing transformative social changes. A better future can be shaped by individual action. The book's relevance lies in its ability to further our understanding of the nature of ethics and to help inspire an activist generation.

"Through this brief introduction to ethics, the reader can learn a flexible yet powerful system of moral motivations to understand decision-making." - BookLife Reviews

"In his energetic book, Schoales' prose is admirably lucid and free of cumbersome academic jargon, and he presents many earnest and thought-provoking ideas." - Kirkus Reviews

"The aim of What Is Ethics? is not to close the discussion by offering once-and-for-all answers. The aim is, instead, to show the openness of the question and the demand for our on-going participation." - Davood Gozli, author of Experimental Psychology and Human Agency


"Great for fans of Russ Shafer-Landau's A Concise Introduction to Ethics, Simon Blackburn's Being Good: A Short Introduction to Ethics." - BookLife Reviews