Overview

This book is a comprehensive philosophical study of the ethics of killing in cases in which the metaphysical and moral status of the individual killed is uncertain or controversial. Among the questionable and marginal in this way are human embryos, foetuses, neonates, animals, anencephalic infants, congenitally and cognitively-impaired human beings, and human beings who have become severely demented or irreversibly comatose. In an attempt to understand the question of moral status in such cases, The Ethics of Killing develops and defends many different accounts of personal identity, the nature of death, and the wrongness of killing. McMahan contends that the morality of killing is deeply complex and that the principles that determine the morality of killing in marginal cases are different from those that govern the killing of persons who are self-conscious and rational. Among the central claims of the book is that killing in marginal cases should be evaluated primarily in terms of the impact it would have on the victim at the time rather than on the ontological value of the victim's life as a whole. What primarily matters, in other words, is how killing the victim would affect what this particular victim is concerned with at the time of his or her death. In the second half of the book, the various foundational claims about identity, death, and killing are brought to bear in a systematic fashion to lead to conclusions that are both novel and plausible about such practical issues as abortion, prenatal injury, infanticide, the killing of animals, the significance of brain-death, the termination of life-support in cases of permanent vegetative state, the use of anencephalic infants as sources of organ- transplantation, euthanasia, assisted suicide, and advance directives in cases involving dementia. The range and scale of this groundbreaking book is unprecedented.

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9780195187212

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Reviews

<br> In this exceptional new book, Jeff McMahan offers nuanced and illuminating accounts of personal identity, human nature, the badness of death, the wrongness of killing, the rights of animals, abortion, and euthanasia. This book is a major contribution to both moral theory and applied ethics, and<br>makes a strong case for the relevance of the former to the latter. It is also beautifully written and a joy to read. This is a long, dense book, overflowing with examples, arguments, and counterarguments. [It] is a tour de force of contemporary naturalistic ethics. Defenders of the naturalistic<br>project will cite it as the best evidence yet that the project is on the right track, yielding insights into a wide range of pressing topical issues... No-one on either side can afford to ignore this book. --Tim Mulgan, Canadian Journal of Philosophy<br> Jeff McMahan is one of America's leading contemporary moral philosophers and perhaps one of its most courageous. McMahan's long awaited and widely acclaimed book, The Ethics of Killing, advances a groundbreaking theory of the morality of killing and letting die. ... [Its] arguments are numerous, <br>subtle, and detailed...one of the most comprehensive, rigorous, and illuminating discussions of the morality of ending marginal lives, brimming with thought-provoking observations and arguments that will shape the course of future debate. --Caroline West, The Drawing Board: An Australian Review of<br>Public Affairs<br> Masterful...admirably thorough and sensitive...The thoroughness and comprehensiveness with which [McMahan] has worked out [his] ideas is deeply impressive. The presentation is throughout solucid that non-specialists should be able to profit greatly from the book...There could be no better proof of<br>the paradoxical vitality of the subject of death and killing than this monumental book. -- Ingmar Persson, The Times Literary Supplement<br> The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative...[It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not be<br>unreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of first-class philosophical thought. --Don Marquis, Ethics<br> McMahan formulates a ground-breaking general theory of the ethics of killing and letting die. The Ethics of Killing is a long book, jammed with interesting and provocative arguments. [It is] an exceptionally argumentatively rich book, the essential starting point for all future discussions of the<br>killing of individuals at the margins of life. --Nicholas Agar, The Australasian Journal of Philosophy<br> McMahan is one of America's finest contemporary moral theorists...[His] long-awaited book...combines a close attention to real-life moral issues with a solid insight into foundational matters of metaphysics and ethical theory. ..It is always well-argued, sophisticated and very interesting...The<br>Ethics of Killing...is an excellent book and deserves close study. --Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy<br> With a careful application of metaphysics to ethics, McMahan has developed a field ofargument that has been insufficiently explored, and in so doing, created a whole new structure for the debates surrounding abortion and euthanasia. This makes this a novel and, at times, exciting book. --Michael<br>Lacewing, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews<br> McMahan's book is outstanding within the present literature in virtue of its breadth, succinctness, and argumentative erudition...The two dominant qualities of the book are, first, an extraordinary care for argumentative fairness and balance, and second, a new interest in bringing applied ethics<br>into helpful contact with its so far neglected philosophical foundations. --Anton Leist, Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie<br> The Ethics of Killing is a dense though fresh and rigorously argued account of the circumstances under which it may be allowable, and in some cases even preferable, to terminate marginal lives (e.g., fetuses, severely handicapped babies, terminal patients). The book is full of fine distinctions, <br>rich case studies, and helpful, innovative terminology. It dismantles many of the current arguments for and against the permissibility of killing human beings whose metaphysical and moral status is contentious. It represents one of the most comprehensive and meticulous books in the field of<br>bioethics to date. McMahan's analyses are consistently innovative and razor sharp. This is analytic philosophy par excellence, one that works the mind as an arduous mountain climb works the body. --Journal of the American Academy of Religion<br> Overflowing with arguments, painstakingly dissecting a wide range of alternative views. Whatever your own views about these importantissues, they will be thoroughly challenged here. The Ethics of Killing is a remarkable book.-- Shelly Kagan, Yale University<br> This book sets out from central issues in moral theory and brings us in the end to some of the hardest moral problems of modern life. It is a book of deep, intricate, concentrated and continuous argument, presented in the clearest language. At the beginning of the new century, it will form the<br>cornerstone of the moral philosophy of killing. --John Broome, Oxford University<br> The Ethics of Killing is a terrific book that addresses fundamental issues in a detailed, sophisticated way. It is full of new ideas and insights. Anyone who is interested in thinking deeply about abortion, infanticide, or euthanasia, could not do better than to start with McMahan's<br>discussion. --James Rachels, Late Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham<br>

"""Publication of this book is a welcome event. McMahan's discussions involve analyses of more alternative views than, I suspect, anyone other than McMahan has ever imagined. The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative. [It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not be unreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of firstclass philosophical thought."" ""In this exceptional new book, Jeff McMahan offers nuanced and illuminating accounts of personal identity, human nature, the badness of death, the wrongness of killing, the rights of animals, abortion, and euthanasia. This book is a major contribution to both moral theory and applied ethics, and makes a strong case for the relevance of the former to the latter. It is also beautifully written and a joy to read. This is a long, dense book, overflowing with examples, arguments, and counterarguments. [It] is a tour de force of contemporary naturalistic ethics. Defenders of the naturalistic project will cite it as the best evidence yet that the project is on the right track, yielding insights into a wide range of pressing topical issues... No-one on either side can afford to ignore this book."" --Tim Mulgan, Canadian Journal of Philosophy ""Jeff McMahan is one of America's leading contemporary moral philosophers and perhaps one of its most courageous. McMahan's long awaited and widely acclaimed book, The Ethics of Killing, advances a groundbreaking theory of the morality of killing and letting die. ... [Its] arguments are numerous, subtle, and detailed...one of the most comprehensive, rigorous, and illuminating discussions of the morality of ending marginal lives, brimming with thought-provoking observations and arguments that will shape the course of future debate.""--Caroline West, The Drawing Board: An Australian Review of Public Affairs ""Masterful...admirably thorough and sensitive...The thoroughness and comprehensiveness with which [McMahan] has worked out [his] ideas is deeply impressive. The presentation is throughout solucid that non-specialists should be able to profit greatly from the book...There could be no better proof of the paradoxical vitality of the subject of death and killing than this monumental book.""-- Ingmar Persson, The Times Literary Supplement ""The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative...[It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not be unreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of first-class philosophical thought.""--Don Marquis, Ethics ""McMahan formulates a ground-breaking general theory of the ethics of killing and letting die. The Ethics of Killing is a long book, jammed with interesting and provocative arguments. [It is] an exceptionally argumentatively rich book, the essential starting point for all future discussions of the killing of individuals at the margins of life.""--Nicholas Agar, The Australasian Journal of Philosophy ""McMahan is one of America's finest contemporary moral theorists...[His] long-awaited book...combines a close attention to real-life moral issues with a solid insight into foundational matters of metaphysics and ethical theory. ..It is always well-argued, sophisticated and very interesting...The Ethics of Killing...is an excellent book and deserves close study.""--Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy ""With a careful application of metaphysics to ethics, McMahan has developed a field ofargument that has been insufficiently explored, and in so doing, created a whole new structure for the debates surrounding abortion and euthanasia. This makes this a novel and, at times, exciting book.""--Michael Lacewing, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews ""McMahan's book is outstanding within the present literature in virtue of its breadth, succinctness, and argumentative erudition...The two dominant qualities of the book are, first, an extraordinary care for argumentative fairness and balance, and second, a new interest in bringing applied ethics into helpful contact with its so far neglected philosophical foundations.""--Anton Leist, Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie ""The Ethics of Killing is a dense though fresh and rigorously argued account of the circumstances under which it may be allowable, and in some cases even preferable, to terminate ""marginal"" lives (e.g., fetuses, severely handicapped babies, terminal patients). The book is full of fine distinctions, rich case studies, and helpful, innovative terminology. It dismantles many of the current arguments for and against the permissibility of killing human beings whose metaphysical and moral status is contentious. It represents one of the most comprehensive and meticulous books in the field of bioethics to date. McMahan's analyses are consistently innovative and razor sharp. This is analytic philosophy par excellence, one that works the mind as an arduous mountain climb works the body.""--Journal of the American Academy of Religion ""Overflowing with arguments, painstakingly dissecting a wide range of alternative views. Whatever your own views about these importantissues, they will be thoroughly challenged here. The Ethics of Killing is a remarkable book.-- Shelly Kagan, Yale University ""This book sets out from central issues in moral theory and brings us in the end to some of the hardest moral problems of modern life. It is a book of deep, intricate, concentrated and continuous argument, presented in the clearest language. At the beginning of the new century, it will form the cornerstone of the moral philosophy of killing.""--John Broome, Oxford University ""The Ethics of Killing is a terrific book that addresses fundamental issues in a detailed, sophisticated way. It is full of new ideas and insights. Anyone who is interested in thinking deeply about abortion, infanticide, or euthanasia, could not do better than to start with McMahan's discussion.""--James Rachels, Late Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham ""In this exceptional new book, Jeff McMahan offers nuanced and illuminating accounts of personal identity, human nature, the badness of death, the wrongness of killing, the rights of animals, abortion, and euthanasia. This book is a major contribution to both moral theory and applied ethics, and makes a strong case for the relevance of the former to the latter. It is also beautifully written and a joy to read. This is a long, dense book, overflowing with examples, arguments, and counterarguments. [It] is a tour de force of contemporary naturalistic ethics. Defenders of the naturalistic project will cite it as the best evidence yet that the project is on the right track, yielding insights into a wide range of pressing topical issues... No-one on either side can afford to ignore this book."" --Tim Mulgan, Canadian Journal of Philosophy ""Jeff McMahan is one of America's leading contemporary moral philosophers and perhaps one of its most courageous. McMahan's long awaited and widely acclaimed book, The Ethics of Killing, advances a groundbreaking theory of the morality of killing and letting die. ... [Its] arguments are numerous, subtle, and detailed...one of the most comprehensive, rigorous, and illuminating discussions of the morality of ending marginal lives, brimming with thought-provoking observations and arguments that will shape the course of future debate.""--Caroline West, The Drawing Board: An Australian Review of Public Affairs ""Masterful...admirably thorough and sensitive...The thoroughness and comprehensiveness with which [McMahan] has worked out [his] ideas is deeply impressive. The presentation is throughout solucid that non-specialists should be able to profit greatly from the book...There could be no better proof of the paradoxical vitality of the subject of death and killing than this monumental book.""-- Ingmar Persson, The Times Literary Supplement ""The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative...[It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not be unreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of first-class philosophical thought.""--Don Marquis, Ethics ""McMahan formulates a ground-breaking general theory of the ethics of killing and letting die. The Ethics of Killing is a long book, jammed with interesting and provocative arguments. [It is] an exceptionally argumentatively rich book, the essential starting point for all future discussions of the killing of individuals at the margins of life.""--Nicholas Agar, The Australasian Journal of Philosophy ""McMahan is one of America's finest contemporary moral theorists...[His] long-awaited book...combines a close attention to real-life moral issues with a solid insight into foundational matters of metaphysics and ethical theory. ..It is always well-argued, sophisticated and very interesting...The Ethics of Killing...is an excellent book and deserves close study.""--Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy ""With a careful application of metaphysics to ethics, McMahan has developed a field ofargument that has been insufficiently explored, and in so doing, created a whole new structure for the debates surrounding abortion and euthanasia. This makes this a novel and, at times, exciting book.""--Michael Lacewing, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews ""McMahan's book is outstanding within the present literature in virtue of its breadth, succinctness, and argumentative erudition...The two dominant qualities of the book are, first, an extraordinary care for argumentative fairness and balance, and second, a new interest in bringing applied ethics into helpful contact with its so far neglected philosophical foundations.""--Anton Leist, Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie ""The Ethics of Killing is a dense though fresh and rigorously argued account of the circumstances under which it may be allowable, and in some cases even preferable, to terminate ""marginal"" lives (e.g., fetuses, severely handicapped babies, terminal patients). The book is full of fine distinctions, rich case studies, and helpful, innovative terminology. It dismantles many of the current arguments for and against the permissibility of killing human beings whose metaphysical and moral status is contentious. It represents one of the most comprehensive and meticulous books in the field of bioethics to date. McMahan's analyses are consistently innovative and razor sharp. This is analytic philosophy par excellence, one that works the mind as an arduous mountain climb works the body.""--Journal of the American Academy of Religion ""Overflowing with arguments, painstakingly dissecting a wide range of alternative views. Whatever your own views about these importantissues, they will be thoroughly challenged here. The Ethics of Killing is a remarkable book.-- Shelly Kagan, Yale University ""This book sets out from central issues in moral theory and brings us in the end to some of the hardest moral problems of modern life. It is a book of deep, intricate, concentrated and continuous argument, presented in the clearest language. At the beginning of the new century, it will form the cornerstone of the moral philosophy of killing.""--John Broome, Oxford University ""The Ethics of Killing is a terrific book that addresses fundamental issues in a detailed, sophisticated way. It is full of new ideas and insights. Anyone who is interested in thinking deeply about abortion, infanticide, or euthanasia, could not do better than to start with McMahan's discussion.""--James Rachels, Late Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham ""In this exceptional new book, Jeff McMahan offers nuanced and illuminating accounts of personal identity, human nature, the badness of death, the wrongness of killing, the rights of animals, abortion, and euthanasia. This book is a major contribution to both moral theory and applied ethics, and makes a strong case for the relevance of the former to the latter. It is also beautifully written and a joy to read. This is a long, dense book, overflowing with examples, arguments, and counterarguments. [It] is a tour de force of contemporary naturalistic ethics. Defenders of the naturalistic project will cite it as the best evidence yet that the project is on the right track, yielding insights into a wide range of pressing topical issues... No-one on either side can afford to ignore this book."" --Tim Mulgan, Canadian Journal of Philosophy ""Jeff McMahan is one of America's leading contemporary moral philosophers and perhaps one of its most courageous. McMahan's long awaited and widely acclaimed book, The Ethics of Killing, advances a groundbreaking theory of the morality of killing and letting die. ... [Its] arguments are numerous, subtle, and detailed...one of the most comprehensive, rigorous, and illuminating discussions of the morality of ending marginal lives, brimming with thought-provoking observations and arguments that will shape the course of future debate.""--Caroline West, The Drawing Board: An Australian Review of Public Affairs ""Masterful...admirably thorough and sensitive...The thoroughness and comprehensiveness with which [McMahan] has worked out [his] ideas is deeply impressive. The presentation is throughout so lucid that non-specialists should be able toprofit greatly from the book...There could be no better proof of the paradoxical vitality of the subject of death and killing than this monumental book.""-- Ingmar Persson, The Times Literary Supplement ""The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative...[It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not be unreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of first-class philosophical thought.""--Don Marquis, Ethics ""McMahan formulates a ground-breaking general theory of the ethics of killing and letting die. The Ethics of Killing is a long book, jammed with interesting and provocative arguments. [It is] an exceptionally argumentatively rich book, the essential starting point for all future discussions of the killing of individuals at the margins of life.""--Nicholas Agar, The Australasian Journal of Philosophy ""McMahan is one of America's finest contemporary moral theorists...[His] long-awaited book...combines a close attention to real-life moral issues with a solid insight into foundational matters of metaphysics and ethical theory. ..It is always well-argued, sophisticated and very interesting...The Ethics of Killing...is an excellent book and deserves close study.""--Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy ""With a careful application of metaphysics to ethics, McMahan has developed a field of argument that has been insufficiently explored, and in so doing, created a whole new structurefor the debates surrounding abortion and euthanasia. This makes this a novel and, at times, exciting book.""--Michael Lacewing, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews ""McMahan's book is outstanding within the present literature in virtue of its breadth, succinctness, and argumentative erudition...The two dominant qualities of the book are, first, an extraordinary care for argumentative fairness and balance, and second, a new interest in bringing applied ethics into helpful contact with its so far neglected philosophical foundations.""--Anton Leist, Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie ""The Ethics of Killing is a dense though fresh and rigorously argued account of the circumstances under which it may be allowable, and in some cases even preferable, to terminate ""marginal"" lives (e.g., fetuses, severely handicapped babies, terminal patients). The book is full of fine distinctions, rich case studies, and helpful, innovative terminology. It dismantles many of the current arguments for and against the permissibility of killing human beings whose metaphysical and moral status is contentious. It represents one of the most comprehensive and meticulous books in the field of bioethics to date. McMahan's analyses are consistently innovative and razor sharp. This is analytic philosophy par excellence, one that works the mind as an arduous mountain climb works the body.""--Journal of the American Academy of Religion ""Overflowing with arguments, painstakingly dissecting a wide range of alternative views. Whatever your own views about these important issues, they will be thoroughly challenged here. The Ethics of Killing is a remarkable book.-- Shelly Kagan, Yale University ""This booksets out from central issues in moral theory and brings us in the end to some of the hardest moral problems of modern life. It is a book of deep, intricate, concentrated and continuous argument, presented in the clearest language. At the beginning of the new century, it will form the cornerstone of the moral philosophy of killing.""--John Broome, Oxford University ""The Ethics of Killing is a terrific book that addresses fundamental issues in a detailed, sophisticated way. It is full of new ideas and insights. Anyone who is interested in thinking deeply about abortion, infanticide, or euthanasia, could not do better than to start with McMahan's discussion.""--James Rachels, Late Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham"

Publication of this book is a welcome event. McMahan's discussions involve analyses of more alternative views than, I suspect, anyone other than McMahan has ever imagined. The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative. [It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not be unreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of firstclass philosophical thought. In this exceptional new book, Jeff McMahan offers nuanced and illuminating accounts of personal identity, human nature, the badness of death, the wrongness of killing, the rights of animals, abortion, and euthanasia. This book is a major contribution to both moral theory and applied ethics, andmakes a strong case for the relevance of the former to the latter. It is also beautifully written and a joy to read. This is a long, dense book, overflowing with examples, arguments, and counterarguments. [It] is a tour de force of contemporary naturalistic ethics. Defenders of the naturalisticproject will cite it as the best evidence yet that the project is on the right track, yielding insights into a wide range of pressing topical issues... No-one on either side can afford to ignore this book. --Tim Mulgan, Canadian Journal of Philosophy Jeff McMahan is one of America's leading contemporary moral philosophers and perhaps one of its most courageous. McMahan's long awaited and widely acclaimed book, The Ethics of Killing, advances a groundbreaking theory of the morality of killing and letting die. ... [Its] arguments are numerous, subtle, and detailed...one of the most comprehensive, rigorous, and illuminating discussions of the morality of ending marginal lives, brimming with thought-provoking observations and arguments that will shape the course of future debate. --Caroline West, The Drawing Board: An Australian Review ofPublic Affairs Masterful...admirably thorough and sensitive...The thoroughness and comprehensiveness with which [McMahan] has worked out [his] ideas is deeply impressive. The presentation is throughout solucid that non-specialists should be able to profit greatly from the book...There could be no better proof ofthe paradoxical vitality of the subject of death and killing than this monumental book. -- Ingmar Persson, The Times Literary Supplement The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative...[It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not beunreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of first-class philosophical thought. --Don Marquis, Ethics McMahan formulates a ground-breaking general theory of the ethics of killing and letting die. The Ethics of Killing is a long book, jammed with interesting and provocative arguments. [It is] an exceptionally argumentatively rich book, the essential starting point for all future discussions of thekilling of individuals at the margins of life. --Nicholas Agar, The Australasian Journal of Philosophy McMahan is one of America's finest contemporary moral theorists...[His] long-awaited book...combines a close attention to real-life moral issues with a solid insight into foundational matters of metaphysics and ethical theory. ..It is always well-argued, sophisticated and very interesting...TheEthics of Killing...is an excellent book and deserves close study. --Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy With a careful application of metaphysics to ethics, McMahan has developed a field ofargument that has been insufficiently explored, and in so doing, created a whole new structure for the debates surrounding abortion and euthanasia. This makes this a novel and, at times, exciting book. --MichaelLacewing, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews McMahan's book is outstanding within the present literature in virtue of its breadth, succinctness, and argumentative erudition...The two dominant qualities of the book are, first, an extraordinary care for argumentative fairness and balance, and second, a new interest in bringing applied ethicsinto helpful contact with its so far neglected philosophical foundations. --Anton Leist, Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie The Ethics of Killing is a dense though fresh and rigorously argued account of the circumstances under which it may be allowable, and in some cases even preferable, to terminate marginal lives (e.g., fetuses, severely handicapped babies, terminal patients). The book is full of fine distinctions, rich case studies, and helpful, innovative terminology. It dismantles many of the current arguments for and against the permissibility of killing human beings whose metaphysical and moral status is contentious. It represents one of the most comprehensive and meticulous books in the field ofbioethics to date. McMahan's analyses are consistently innovative and razor sharp. This is analytic philosophy par excellence, one that works the mind as an arduous mountain climb works the body. --Journal of the American Academy of Religion Overflowing with arguments, painstakingly dissecting a wide range of alternative views. Whatever your own views about these importantissues, they will be thoroughly challenged here. The Ethics of Killing is a remarkable book.-- Shelly Kagan, Yale University This book sets out from central issues in moral theory and brings us in the end to some of the hardest moral problems of modern life. It is a book of deep, intricate, concentrated and continuous argument, presented in the clearest language. At the beginning of the new century, it will form thecornerstone of the moral philosophy of killing. --John Broome, Oxford University The Ethics of Killing is a terrific book that addresses fundamental issues in a detailed, sophisticated way. It is full of new ideas and insights. Anyone who is interested in thinking deeply about abortion, infanticide, or euthanasia, could not do better than to start with McMahan'sdiscussion. --James Rachels, Late Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham In this exceptional new book, Jeff McMahan offers nuanced and illuminating accounts of personal identity, human nature, the badness of death, the wrongness of killing, the rights of animals, abortion, and euthanasia. This book is a major contribution to both moral theory and applied ethics, and makes a strong case for the relevance of the former to the latter. It is also beautifully written and a joy to read. This is a long, dense book, overflowing with examples, arguments, and counterarguments. [It] is a tour de force of contemporary naturalistic ethics. Defenders of the naturalistic project will cite it as the best evidence yet that the project is on the right track, yielding insights into a wide range of pressing topical issues... No-one on either side can afford to ignore this book. --Tim Mulgan, Canadian Journal of Philosophy Jeff McMahan is one of America's leading contemporary moral philosophers and perhaps one of its most courageous. McMahan's long awaited and widely acclaimed book, The Ethics of Killing, advances a groundbreaking theory of the morality of killing and letting die. ... [Its] arguments are numerous, subtle, and detailed...one of the most comprehensive, rigorous, and illuminating discussions of the morality of ending marginal lives, brimming with thought-provoking observations and arguments that will shape the course of future debate. --Caroline West, The Drawing Board: An Australian Review of Public Affairs Masterful...admirably thorough and sensitive...The thoroughness and comprehensiveness with which [McMahan] has worked out [his] ideas is deeply impressive. The presentation is throughout solucid that non-specialists should be able to profit greatly from the book...There could be no better proof of the paradoxical vitality of the subject of death and killing than this monumental book. -- Ingmar Persson, The Times Literary Supplement The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative...[It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not be unreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of first-class philosophical thought. --Don Marquis, Ethics McMahan formulates a ground-breaking general theory of the ethics of killing and letting die. The Ethics of Killing is a long book, jammed with interesting and provocative arguments. [It is] an exceptionally argumentatively rich book, the essential starting point for all future discussions of the killing of individuals at the margins of life. --Nicholas Agar, The Australasian Journal of Philosophy McMahan is one of America's finest contemporary moral theorists...[His] long-awaited book...combines a close attention to real-life moral issues with a solid insight into foundational matters of metaphysics and ethical theory. ..It is always well-argued, sophisticated and very interesting...The Ethics of Killing...is an excellent book and deserves close study. --Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy With a careful application of metaphysics to ethics, McMahan has developed a field ofargument that has been insufficiently explored, and in so doing, created a whole new structure for the debates surrounding abortion and euthanasia. This makes this a novel and, at times, exciting book. --Michael Lacewing, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews McMahan's book is outstanding within the present literature in virtue of its breadth, succinctness, and argumentative erudition...The two dominant qualities of the book are, first, an extraordinary care for argumentative fairness and balance, and second, a new interest in bringing applied ethics into helpful contact with its so far neglected philosophical foundations. --Anton Leist, Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie The Ethics of Killing is a dense though fresh and rigorously argued account of the circumstances under which it may be allowable, and in some cases even preferable, to terminate marginal lives (e.g., fetuses, severely handicapped babies, terminal patients). The book is full of fine distinctions, rich case studies, and helpful, innovative terminology. It dismantles many of the current arguments for and against the permissibility of killing human beings whose metaphysical and moral status is contentious. It represents one of the most comprehensive and meticulous books in the field of bioethics to date. McMahan's analyses are consistently innovative and razor sharp. This is analytic philosophy par excellence, one that works the mind as an arduous mountain climb works the body. --Journal of the American Academy of Religion Overflowing with arguments, painstakingly dissecting a wide range of alternative views. Whatever your own views about these importantissues, they will be thoroughly challenged here. The Ethics of Killing is a remarkable book.-- Shelly Kagan, Yale University This book sets out from central issues in moral theory and brings us in the end to some of the hardest moral problems of modern life. It is a book of deep, intricate, concentrated and continuous argument, presented in the clearest language. At the beginning of the new century, it will form the cornerstone of the moral philosophy of killing. --John Broome, Oxford University The Ethics of Killing is a terrific book that addresses fundamental issues in a detailed, sophisticated way. It is full of new ideas and insights. Anyone who is interested in thinking deeply about abortion, infanticide, or euthanasia, could not do better than to start with McMahan's discussion. --James Rachels, Late Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham In this exceptional new book, Jeff McMahan offers nuanced and illuminating accounts of personal identity, human nature, the badness of death, the wrongness of killing, the rights of animals, abortion, and euthanasia. This book is a major contribution to both moral theory and applied ethics, andmakes a strong case for the relevance of the former to the latter. It is also beautifully written and a joy to read. This is a long, dense book, overflowing with examples, arguments, and counterarguments. [It] is a tour de force of contemporary naturalistic ethics. Defenders of the naturalisticproject will cite it as the best evidence yet that the project is on the right track, yielding insights into a wide range of pressing topical issues... No-one on either side can afford to ignore this book. --Tim Mulgan, Canadian Journal of Philosophy Jeff McMahan is one of America's leading contemporary moral philosophers and perhaps one of its most courageous. McMahan's long awaited and widely acclaimed book, The Ethics of Killing, advances a groundbreaking theory of the morality of killing and letting die. ... [Its] arguments are numerous, subtle, and detailed...one of the most comprehensive, rigorous, and illuminating discussions of the morality of ending marginal lives, brimming with thought-provoking observations and arguments that will shape the course of future debate. --Caroline West, The Drawing Board: An Australian Review ofPublic Affairs Masterful...admirably thorough and sensitive...The thoroughness and comprehensiveness with which [McMahan] has worked out [his] ideas is deeply impressive. The presentation is throughout so lucid that non-specialists should be able toprofit greatly from the book...There could be no better proof ofthe paradoxical vitality of the subject of death and killing than this monumental book. -- Ingmar Persson, The Times Literary Supplement The Ethics of Killing is detailed, careful, comprehensive, and innovative...[It] is an example of philosophy at the highest level. It is a genuine pleasure to have the opportunity to read such a probing, careful, analytical, honest, and utterly wonderful book. I recommend it highly. It would not beunreasonable to make it required reading for any graduate student (or anyone else) who needs to understand the nature of first-class philosophical thought. --Don Marquis, Ethics McMahan formulates a ground-breaking general theory of the ethics of killing and letting die. The Ethics of Killing is a long book, jammed with interesting and provocative arguments. [It is] an exceptionally argumentatively rich book, the essential starting point for all future discussions of thekilling of individuals at the margins of life. --Nicholas Agar, The Australasian Journal of Philosophy McMahan is one of America's finest contemporary moral theorists...[His] long-awaited book...combines a close attention to real-life moral issues with a solid insight into foundational matters of metaphysics and ethical theory. ..It is always well-argued, sophisticated and very interesting...TheEthics of Killing...is an excellent book and deserves close study. --Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosophy With a careful application of metaphysics to ethics, McMahan has developed a field of argument that has been insufficiently explored, and in so doing, created a whole new structurefor the debates surrounding abortion and euthanasia. This makes this a novel and, at times, exciting book. --MichaelLacewing, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews McMahan's book is outstanding within the present literature in virtue of its breadth, succinctness, and argumentative erudition...The two dominant qualities of the book are, first, an extraordinary care for argumentative fairness and balance, and second, a new interest in bringing applied ethicsinto helpful contact with its so far neglected philosophical foundations. --Anton Leist, Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Philosophie The Ethics of Killing is a dense though fresh and rigorously argued account of the circumstances under which it may be allowable, and in some cases even preferable, to terminate marginal lives (e.g., fetuses, severely handicapped babies, terminal patients). The book is full of fine distinctions, rich case studies, and helpful, innovative terminology. It dismantles many of the current arguments for and against the permissibility of killing human beings whose metaphysical and moral status is contentious. It represents one of the most comprehensive and meticulous books in the field ofbioethics to date. McMahan's analyses are consistently innovative and razor sharp. This is analytic philosophy par excellence, one that works the mind as an arduous mountain climb works the body. --Journal of the American Academy of Religion Overflowing with arguments, painstakingly dissecting a wide range of alternative views. Whatever your own views about these important issues, they will be thoroughly challenged here. The Ethics of Killing is a remarkable book.-- Shelly Kagan, Yale University This booksets out from central issues in moral theory and brings us in the end to some of the hardest moral problems of modern life. It is a book of deep, intricate, concentrated and continuous argument, presented in the clearest language. At the beginning of the new century, it will form thecornerstone of the moral philosophy of killing. --John Broome, Oxford University The Ethics of Killing is a terrific book that addresses fundamental issues in a detailed, sophisticated way. It is full of new ideas and insights. Anyone who is interested in thinking deeply about abortion, infanticide, or euthanasia, could not do better than to start with McMahan'sdiscussion. --James Rachels, Late Professor of Philosophy, University of Alabama, Birmingham

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