Ethics and politics: Cases and comments

by Amy Gutmann

Learn to recognize and assess the strengths and weaknesses of moral arguments in the making of public policy with ETHICS AND CASES AND COMMENTS. You'll find coverage of the ethics of the morally questionable means—violence, deception, and corruption—that are most commonly used by public officials, as well as the ethics of the valuable but often competing ends that public officials strive to achieve. Conflicting values, scarce resources, and stakes as high as life and death combine with the duties of public office to make choices among policy goals controversial and morally difficult. Each ethical issue is paired with case studies in contemporary American politics. For example, the controversy over the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay; or issues during the campaign and election of 2004.

241 pages, Unknown Binding

First published May 1, 1984

About the author

Amy Gutmann is the 8th President of the University of Pennsylvania and the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Communications, and Philosophy. She is a political theorist who taught at Princeton University from 1976 to 2004 and served as its Provost.