Science and Ethics

by Paul Kurtz

In a world confronted by conflicting moral beliefs and values, the question is often raised, "Can science help us to solve our moral problems?" Many people today believe that moral principles are derived from religion. Their critics point out that the great religions often vehemently disagree about what is good, bad, right, and wrong. On the other side of a great divide stand many who say that there are no ethical standards at all and that morality is merely a question of personal taste or cultural relativity. This volume presents a unique collection of authors who generally maintain that science can help us make wise choices and that an increase in scientific knowledge can help modify our ethical values and bring new ethical principles into social awareness. Among the thirty contributors to this volume are distinguished scientists and philosophers, including Arthur Caplan, Vern Bullough, Mario Bunge, Tom Flynn, Susan Haack, Richard Hull, Scott Lilienfeld, Ronald Lindsay, Thomas Szasz, Richard Taylor, and others. Among the wide-ranging topics discussed are bio-genetic engineering, stem cell research, organ transplants, human enhancement, abortion, euthanasia, psychiatry, and psychotherapy.Editor Paul Kurtz maintains that there is a modified form of naturalistic ethics that is directly relevant to both science and ethics and provides guidelines for our moral choices.

Genres: Nonfiction

359 pages, Paperback

First published July 3, 2007

About the author

Dr. Paul W. Kurtz was a prominent American skeptic and secular humanist. Before his retirement, he was Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, having previously also taught at Vassar, Trinity, and Union colleges, and the New School for Social Research.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mario Bunge's excellent introduction and the 4 essays I immediately read after jumping into the book's middle (the 4 are on problems with psychiatry and psychotherapies). This book is excellent. Its a delight to read so many relevant and insightful pieces on ethics from a rationalist, freethinking, scientific stance.

Upon finishing, I am happy to say this is a highly varied but also thoroughly worthwhile volume on (especially) applied ethics from a non-idealist, realist perspective. Granted, I'm not personally deeply entranced by details of the stem cell controversy, but only about 3 or 4 of the pieces are on this subject (out of 25 or so overall). For those who care about a secular or scientific ethics, and most of us should, this is the book to start or continue with.