Rachels's two-volume Ethical Theory provides a comprehensive overview of contemporary moral philosophy, reprinting classic and contemporary articles, including many that are not otherwise readily available. Each volume contains a clearly written, substantial introduction that guides the beginner through the intricacies of the subject. Ethical Theory 1 deals with the question of objectivity in ethics and the viability of moral realism, focusing on what moral judgments mean, whether morality can be objective, and whether there are any such things as moral facts. It includes a clearly written,...

New in the Oxford Readings in Philosophy series, this volume brings together some of the best recent articles on John Locke's philosophy. The contributors, including some of the world's leading Locke scholars, focus on innate ideas, ideas and perception, primary and secondary qualities, free will, substance, personal identity, language, essence, knowledge, and belief. By bringing together in one place often difficult to find writings, the volume constitutes an essential collection for students and specialists.

The aim of this series is to bring together important recent writings in major areas of philosophical inquiry, selected from a variety of sources, mostly periodicals, which may not be conveniently available to the university student or the general reader. The editors of each volume contribute an introductory essay on the items chosen and on the questions with which they deal. A selective bibliography is appended as a guide to further reading.
The philosophy of biology today is one of the most exciting areas in philosophical inquiry. Drawing on work of the past decade, this volume brings...

This volume is designed to set out some of the central issues in the theory of truth. It draws together, for the first time, the debates between philosophers who favor 'robust' or 'substantive' theories of truth, and those other, 'deflationist' or minimalists, who deny that such theories can be given. The editors provide a substantial introduction, in which they look at how the debates relate to further issues, such as the Liar paradox and formal truth theories.

Investigating the meaning of race and racism, the eighteen superb essays in this book not only explore the nature of these controversial ideas but also promote an awareness of them. With an introduction examining the themes and conflicting ideas present in the book, and including a previously unpublished piece on the alleged racism of Immanuel Kant, this book stimulates a critical appreciation of the true meaning and far-reaching implications of an understanding of race and racism. As part of the successful Oxford Readings in Philosophy series, it engages readers with a range of ideas that...