This magisterial work is the first comprehensive study of the ethics of killing, where the moral status of the individual is uncertain or controversial. Drawing on philosophical notions of personal identity and the immorality of killing, McMahan looks carefully at a host of practical issues, including abortion, infanticide, the killing of animals, assisted suicide, and euthanasia.

About the Author
Jeff McMahan is Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University.

Reviews
An enormously rich contribution to personal identity theory, ethical theory, and applied ethics. [Each of the five hefty chapters] could be a short book of scholarly significance...Chapter 2 presents the most probing investigation of the harm of death of which I am aware. * David DeGrazia, Philosophy and Public Affairs *
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 first-class philosophical thought. * Ethics *
[McMahan's] language is clear and the arguments well presented ... recommended reading for anyone who wants to be informed about the arguments surrounding issues at the margins of life, whether they ultimately agree or disagree with what he has to say. * Bulletin of Medical Ethics *
Wide range of issues ... richness in details ... an excellent book and deserves close study. I recommend it to anyone who, for professional or existential reasons, is interested in the topics it tackles. * Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, University of Copenhagen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosopy *
McMahan is one of America's finest contemporary moral theorists ... The book is well-argued, sophisticated and very interesting. * Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen, University of Copenhagen, Sats: Nordic Journal of Philosopy *
The thoroughness and comprehensiveness with which he [McMahan] has worked out these ideas is deeply impressive. The presentation is throughout so lucid that non-specialists should be able to profit greatly from the book ... There could be no better proof of the vitality of the subject of death and killing than this monumental book. * Ingmar Persson, Times Literary Supplement *
Masterful ... admirably thorough and sensitive exploration of the issue. * Ingmar Persson, Times Literary Supplement *
The Ethics of Killing is applied ethics at its best. From now on, anyone who is serious about getting to the bottom of issues like abortion, infanticide, brain death, euthanasia and the killing of nonhuman animals will have to take account of the novel and ingenious theory presented in Jeff McMahan's lucidly-written, rigorously-argued book. * Peter Singer, Princeton University *



Book Information
ISBN 9780195079982
Author Jeff McMahan
Format Hardback
Page Count 560
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 898g
Dimensions(mm) 164mm * 242mm * 36mm