Ethics: The Basics centers around four problems: the origin of ethics (Where do ethical standards come from?), the problem of relativism (Are there universal standards by which to judge others?), the question of human nature (What about our nature makes us ethical/unethical?), and what makes something morally right or wrong. Given the vast terrain covered by Mizzoni’s book, I will not attempt to summarize its contents; instead I shall identify the book’s basic structure and provide some commentary.

Mizzoni introduces a range of solutions to the four problems by considering a variety of concepts, principles, theories, and traditions central to philosophical ethics. In particular, Mizzoni focuses on six normative ethical theories: virtue ethics (chapter 2), natural law ethics (chapter 3), social contractualism (chapter 4), utilitarianism (chapter 5), deontology (chapter 6), and care ethics (chapter 7). His conclusion brings the arsenal of concepts, principles, etc. to bear on concrete ethical issues (chapter 8).

Each chapter begins with an example (or several) to introduce some fundamental feature of the theory under review (e.g., in the case of virtue ethics Mizzoni relates an instance of violent road rage to the cultivation of a virtuous character). Mizzoni then outlines the central tenets of the theory by examining the position as outlined by its most prominent advocate(s); e.g., he takes his cue from Aristotle when discussing virtue ethics, Aquinas in the case of natural law ethics, and Hume and Bentham for utilitarianism. Towards the end of each chapter Mizzoni explains how the theory under consideration attempts to solve the four aforementioned problems in ethics. Each chapter concludes with some brief (very brief!) critical remarks, a review of the concepts, principles, theories, and traditions, as well as some discussion questions.

Mizzoni’s analysis grows more complex and rewarding as the book proceeds by building on previous material to develop a broader narrative. For example, Hobbesian social contract ethics distinguishes itself from natural law ethics by way of its secularity; utilitarianism retains the secular and consequentialist aspects of social contract theory, while replacing an emphasis on rationality with a focus on human sentiment; and deontology parts company with utilitarianism by emphasizing a duty-centered theory that makes rationality the cornerstone of ethics.

The most satisfying chapter is Mizzoni’s discussion of care ethics. Care ethics is a relatively recent development in ethical theory that emphasizes the concrete needs of people with whom we have personal relationships, rather than focusing on abstract principles. This chapter is particularly worthwhile because it also summarizes and critiques the ethical traditions discussed in previous chapters.

Mizzoni claims that Ethics: The Basics is unique because it attempts to clearly and simply outline a rich collection of ethical concepts, principles, theories, and traditions that are in use in today’s society (p.6). I’m not sure how this project differs from that of any other introductory text in ethics. Instead, I believe that the book’s uniqueness lies in Mizzoni’s attempt to explicitly state how each of the theories he surveys directly responds to the four problems of ethics.

Potential readers should be aware that Mizzoni avoids making evaluative judgments—nowhere does he tell us which solution(s) we ought to embrace and he rarely states whether he considers a particular view credible. What’s more, he does not attempt to solve any of the problems raised in his book, leaving it to the reader to reflect on possible resolutions. Such lack of argumentation gives the reader little experience of the practice of philosophy. This is not necessarily a criticism of his book, although I would have liked to see more critical engagement with the solutions on offer.

Two more reservations: first, the book is sometimes repetitive, which is especially unfortunate given its brevity and the enormity of material it tries to cover; second, Mizzoni’s use of examples, although helpful, is often excessive–i.e. providing four or five cases to elaborate on a relatively uncomplicated principle.

These minor criticisms aside, the book is a good survey of the long, rich, and complex history of ethics, covered in fewer than 200 pages. As a starting point for the study of ethics, the book is accessible, entertaining, and does a fine job of providing precisely what Mizzoni promised—the basics.

© 2010 Michael Hannon

Michael Hannon is a PhD student at Cambridge University. His research focuses principally on the intersections between epistemology and the philosophy of language, specifically the meaning of knowledge attributions; however Michael also has strong philosophical interests in metaethics, especially moral epistemology and moral psychology. (mh536@cam.ac.uk)