The Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Ethics

This book introduces readers to the application of evolutionary ideas to moral thinking and justification, presenting contrasting perspectives on controversial issues.

Michael Ruse (Edited by), Robert J. Richards (Edited by)

9781107132955, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 24 August 2017

342 pages
25.5 x 17.9 x 2.2 cm, 0.74 kg

'No comprehensive understanding of where the debates over evolutionary ethics currently lie would be possible without The Cambridge Handbook. It is an indispensable guide to critical philosophical disputes.' Scott M. James, Metascience

Evolutionary ethics - the application of evolutionary ideas to moral thinking and justification - began in the nineteenth century with the work of Charles Darwin and Herbert Spencer, but was subsequently criticized as an example of the naturalistic fallacy. In recent decades, however, evolutionary ethics has found new support among both the Darwinian and the Spencerian traditions. This accessible volume looks at the history of thought about evolutionary ethics as well as current debates in the subject, examining first the claims of supporters and then the responses of their critics. Topics covered include social Darwinism, moral realism, and debunking arguments. Clearly written and structured, the book guides readers through the arguments on both sides, and emphasises the continuing relevance of evolutionary theory to our understanding of ethics today.

Introduction Michael Ruse and Robert J. Richards
Part I. Historical: 1. Ethics, evolution and the a priori: Ross on Spencer and the French sociologists Hallvard Lillehammer
2. Nietzsche's rejection of nineteenth-century evolutionary ethics Jeffrey O'Connell
3. American pragmatism, evolution, and ethics Trevor Pearce
4. The path to the present Abraham H. Gibson
5. Social Darwinism and market morality: a modern-day view for evolutionary ethics Naomi Beck
Part II. For Evolutionary Ethics: 6. Darwinian evolutionary ethics Michael Ruse
7. Human morality: from an empirical puzzle to a metaethical puzzle Richard Joyce
8. Evolution and the epistemological challenge to moral realism Justin Horn
9. Evolutionary naturalism and valuation Richard A. Richards
10. Evolutionary ethics, a theory of moral realism Robert J. Richards
11. Moral mismatch and abolition Ben Fraser
Part III. Against Debunking Arguments: 12. Moral realism and evolutionary debunking arguments Russ Shafer-Landau
13. Why Darwinism does not debunk objective morality William J. FitzPatrick
14. Debunking arguments: mathematics, logic, and modal security Justin Clarke-Doane
15. Evolution and the missing link (in debunking arguments) Uri D. Leibowitz and Neil Sinclair
16. Better than our nature? Evolution and moral realism, justification and progress Michael Vlerick
Part IV. Elaborations: 17. Darwinian ethics: biological individuality and moral relativism Frédéric Bouchard
18. Evolutionary psychology, feminist critiques thereof, and the naturalistic fallacy Lynn Hankinson Nelson
19. A theological evaluation of evolutionary ethics Michael L. Peterson.

Subject Areas: Evolution [PSAJ], Biology, life sciences [PS], History of science [PDX], Philosophy of science [PDA], History of ideas [JFCX], Ethics & moral philosophy [HPQ], History of Western philosophy [HPC], Philosophy [HP]