by James Rachels

isbn: 0070510989
subject: Nonfiction, Philosophy
finished: 10/4/1999

Every discipline should have a book like this one. It covers the basics in around 200 pages of well-written, more or less independent chapters, each of which can be easily devoured in a single sitting. Rachels discusses egoism, utilitarianism, Kant's categorical imperative, the social contract, and other philosophies along with some of the main arguments for and against each of them. Recommended.