Traditions of International Ethics

This is the first comprehensive study of how different ethical traditions deal with the central moral problems of international affairs.

Terry Nardin (Edited by), David R. Mapel (Edited by)

9780521457576, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 27 August 1993

344 pages
22.8 x 14.7 x 2.7 cm, 0.562 kg

'The thirteen authors, two editors, and Cambridge University Press should be exceedingly proud of this study … a careful, consistent presentation of various philosophical approaches … ' Tom Grassey, Ethics

This is the first comprehensive study of how different ethical traditions deal with the central moral problems of international affairs. Using the organising concept of a tradition, it shows that ethics offers many different languages for moral debate rather than a set of unified doctrines. Each chapter describes the central concepts, premises, vocabulary and history of a particular tradition and explains how that tradition has dealt with a set of recurring ethical issues in international relations. Such issues include national self-determination, the use of force in armed intervention or nuclear deterrence, and global distributive justice. Written by leading specialists in the US and UK, this book treats the subject of international ethics in an encyclopaedic way. It allows readers to identify internal tensions within, as well as points of agreement and disagreement between, a wide variety of traditions.

1. Ethical traditions in international affairs Terry Nardin
2. The tradition of international law Murray Forsyth
3. The declaratory tradition in modern international law Dorothy V. Jones
4. Classical realism Steven Forde
5. Twentieth century realism Jack Donnelly
6. Natural law and international ethics Joseph Boyle
7. Kant's global rationalism Thomas Donaldson
8. Utilitarianism and international ethics Anthony Ellis
9. The contractarian tradition and international ethics David R. Mapel
10. Liberalism and international reform Michael Joseph Smith
11. Marxism and international ethics Chris Brown
12. The idea of rights in international ethics R. J. Vincent
13. Biblical argument in international ethics Michael G. Cartwright
14. Convergence and divergence in international ethics David R. Mapel and Terry Nardin.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS]