The Secret Chain: Evolution and Ethics(SUNY series in Philosophy and Biology)

Table of Contents:
Contents Preface Acknowledgments 1  Ethics and Evolution The Secret Chain Epistemology from an Evolutionary Point of View Ethics from an Evolutionary Point of View Morals and Models Evolution and Ethics 2  Altruism, Benevolence, and Self-Love in Eighteenth Century British Moral Philosophy Introduction Benevolence and Self-Love from Hobbes to Mackintosh The Eighteenth Century Legacy 3  The Moral Realm of Nature: Nineteenth Century Views on Ethics and Evolution Introduction Natural Facts and Natural Values Nature, Culture, and Conflict 4  Human Nature Introduction The Concept of Human Nature Human Nature and Moral Theory Human Nature and Ideology Does Darwinism Undermine the Concept of Human Nature? 5  Three Contemporary Approaches to Evolutionary Ethics Introduction The Wisdom of the Genes: The Sociobiology of Ethics Richard Alexander and the Biological Basis of Morality Robert Richards and the Revised Theory General Conclusion 6  Darwinism and the Moral Status of Animals Introduction Singer's Expanding Circle Argument James Rachels on "Moral Individualism" Rodd on the Rights of Animals and Our Duties Toward Them Conclusion 7  Final Reflections Summary of the Argument The Biological Roots of Morality The Relevance of Darwin for Moral Philosophy Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Michael Bradie is Professor of Philosophy at Bowling Green State University.

Review :
"Bradie's is the first book to specifically focus upon the relationship between evolutionary ethics and evolutionary epistemology. The literature is filled with controversy largely due to scholars pulling from both traditions without careful regard for their differences and presuppositions. Bradie uses his analytic philosophical training to clarify the positions of virtually every scholar, from the eighteenth century to the present time, who has had something important to say about the relationship between evolution and ethics. As if this superb philosophical reconstruction were not enough, Bradie also develops a position of his own that will surely attract as much attention as the works of Michael Ruse, Robert Richards, R. D. Alexander, E. O. Wilson, and Peter Singer. Bradie's reconstructive analysis and original thesis will make a valuable contribution to the field." — David Edward Shaner, Furman University "This book will make an excellent addition to the growing philosophical literature that deals with foundational issues of ethics from a scientific perspective. The author is both self-critical and has a critical awareness of the many pitfalls that confront workers in this field. His book is a very useful, analytical and critical discussion of a wide range of literature on the relation between evolution and ethics." — Alan Gewirth, University of Chicago