Overview

Mary Anne Warren explores a theoretical question which lies at the heart of practical ethics: what are the criteria for having moral status? In other words, what are the criteria for being an entity towards which people have moral obligations? Some philosophers maintain that there is one intrinsic property--for instance, life, sentience, humanity, or moral agency. Others believe that relational properties, such as belonging to a human community, are more important. In Part I of the book, Warren argues that no single property can serve as the sole criterion for moral status; instead, life, sentience, moral agency, and social and biotic relationships are all relevant, each in a different way. She presents seven basic principles, each focusing on a property that can, in combination with others, legitimately affect an agent's moral obligations towards entities of a given type. In Part II, these principles are applied in an examination of three controversial ethical issues: voluntary euthanasia, abortion, and the moral status of animals.

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9780198236689

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Reviews

This book is well written, synoptic in its coverage of existing theories of moral status, and most useful for a beginning Contemporary Moral Problems or Medical Ethics class. Ethics Admirably accessible ... bound to be met with gratitude on the part of an interested general audience, undergraduates, and anyone attempting to put together a course on the subject ... Warren's critical discussions are well informed and sensible. Her survey of the literature is fairly broad and brings to bear a variety of outlooks on the main views under discussion. Social Theory and Practice Mary Anne Warren's enterprise, to delineate obligations to persons and other living things is potentially fruitful, and of considerable importance. Mary Warnock, Times Higher Education Supplement

`Warren's book is thoroughly researched and well written ... Warren's argument is one of sophistication, clarity, and substance.' Ethics, April 2000 `admirably accessible ... bound to be met with gratitude on the part of an interested general audience, undergraduates, and anyone attempting to put together a course on the subject ... Warren's critical discussions are well informed and sensible. Her survey of the literature is fairly broad and brings to bear a variety of outlooks on the main views under discussion.' Amy Kind, Social Theory and Practice `well written book ... an interesting and insightful development, with many illuminating and well researched side discussions. She gives us much food for thought in pondering how we are to try to accommodate, as much as possible, diverse moral demands in a very complex world. I enjoyed and profited from reading it.' Lawrence Johnson, Environmental Values 8/4 (99) `the logic of the application of the priciples she sets forth is clear. Her theory should prompt discussion and help clarify the concept of moral status. Her multicriterial approach for determining moral status has the potential to assist in the struggle to handle the complex moral issues prevalent today.' N. I. Whitman, Choice `Mary Anne Warren's enterprise, to delineate obligations to persons and other living things is potentially fruitful, and of considerable importance.' Mary Warnock, Times Higher Education Supplement `this is a thought-provoking book with much to recommend it.' Liam Clarke, Nursing Ethics `This book is ambitious in the ground it covers, attempting to discuss a number of theories of moral status , and offer one of its own. It has much in it to interest people concerned about health care (particularly the discussions of euthanasia and abortion), as well as those interested in animal rights and environmental issues.' Journal of Medical Ethics

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