The essays in this volume assess the empirical and theoretical questions raised by inequalities of income and wealth. Some consider empirical claims about the amount of equality in modern market economies, assessing the allegation that income and wealth have become more unequally distributed in the past quarter-century. Others consider the extent to which various government initiatives can ameliorate the problems inequality putatively poses. They consider which standards of equality meet the requirements of distributive justice. They also ask if inequality is intrinsically immoral, regardless...

With the collapse of Communist totalitarianism, the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union face political instabililty and an uncertain economic future. The people of the region are struggling to emulate the success of the West by moving toward Western-style democracy and markets. The essays in this volume address the liberal transition currently underway. Some of them explore the models offered by political theorists to guide the course of reforms. Some discuss obstacles to change posed by existing attitudes, institutions, and cultural traditions. Some examine the nature of...

Fifteen philosophers, social scientists, and academic lawyers assess various aspects of bioethics. Some detail its development and challenge the field's basic assumptions. Others consider bioethics's role in contemporary society and examine it in policy administration as well as in its interaction with other branches of philosophical inquiry. Chapters also focus on specific issues, including the responsibilities of researchers to subjects in clinical trials; the proper criteria for determining when a living organism has died; the allocation of scarce, life-saving medical resources; and the...

As a central concept in moral and political philosophy, "autonomy" is generally understood as some form of self-governance or self-direction. Certain Stoics, modern philosophers such as Spinoza, and, most importantly, Immanuel Kant, are among the great philosophers who have offered important insights on the concept. Some theorists analyze autonomy as it relates to the self being moved by its higher-order desires. Others argue that it must be understood as it relates to acting from reason or from a sense of moral duty independent of passion. The essays in this volume analyze the concept and...

These essays examine the nature of self-interest and the relationship between rationality and morality. Some challenge the assumption that morality is exclusively concerned with the pursuit of the good of others, arguing that self-interest can be a legitimate moral motive. Some ask whether it is possible to resolve the apparent conflict between self-interest and morality by appealing to some third, overarching standard, or by showing that self-regard and regard for others share significant common features or spring from a common source. Others explore the relationship between self-interest...

Freedom of expression will, as the essays in this volume illuminate, encounter new and continuing controversies in the twenty-first century. Advances in digital technology raise pressing questions regarding freedom of speech and, with it, intellectual property and privacy rights. Cyberspace looms as a relatively uncharted frontier for free speech and copyright law, and expressive liberties may face their greatest challenge from government efforts to thwart terrorism.

This collection of essays is dedicated to the memory of the late Harvard philosopher Robert Nozick, who died in 2002. The publication of Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia in 1974 revived serious interest in natural rights liberalism, which, beginning in the latter half of the eighteenth century, had been eclipsed by a succession of antithetical political theories including utilitarianism, progressivism, and various egalitarian and collectivist ideologies. Some of our contributors critique Nozick's political philosophy. Other contributors examine earlier figures in the liberal tradition,...

This volume examines human flourishing and its relationship to other key concepts in moral theory. Some essays question whether a theory of human nature can allow us to develop an objective list of goods valuable to all agents. Some look at the role of relationships in a good life, or ask whether an ethical theory based on human flourishing can accommodate concern for others. Other essays analyze the function of social-political institutions in promoting the flourishing of individuals. Still others explore the implications of flourishing for political theory and principles of social justice.

The essays in this volume assess the strength and impact of market liberal or libertarian political theory, which, broadly conceived, advocates a more carefully circumscribed role for the state and a greater reliance on the ability of individuals and voluntary, private-sector institutions to confront social problems. They offer insights into the limits of government, develop market-oriented solutions to pressing social problems, and explore some defects in traditional libertarian theory and practice.

What constitutes a just tax system, and what are its moral foundations� Should a society's tax regime be designed to achieve a just distribution of wealth among its citizens, or should such a regime be designed to promote economic growth, rising standards of living, and increasing levels of employment� Are these two goals compatible or incompatible� Why should justice not require, or at least lead to, an increase in general prosperity� The essays in this volume examine the history of tax policies and the normative principles that have informed the selection of...