Actual Ethics

Actual Ethics offers a moral defense of the 'classical liberal' political tradition and applies it to several of today's vexing moral and political issues. James Otteson argues that a Kantian conception of personhood and an Aristotelian conception of judgment are compatible and even complementary. He shows why they are morally attractive and perhaps most controversially when combined they imply a limited classical liberal political state. Otteson then addresses several contemporary problems - wealth and poverty public education animal welfare and affirmative action - and shows how each can be plausibly addressed within the Kantian Aristotelian and classical liberal framework. Written in clear engaging and jargon-free prose Actual Ethics will give students and general audiences an overview of a powerful and rich moral and political tradition that they might not otherwise consider.