"Classical Ethics" is a thorough and well-balanced compendium of Western and non-Western ethical systems in a multicultural historical framework. Zeuschner focuses on the key concepts and presumptions of 13 major philosophers from around the world. He utilizes a systematic approach in his writing that describes the basic components of each system and discusses how each has maintained its appeal for so many centuries. In this text, Western tradition is represented by major classical figures: Socrates and Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, St. Augustine, Aquinas, Butler, Hume, Kant, and Mill. Eastern ethical tradition is represented by Indian Buddhist ethics, Chinese Confucian ethics, and Chinese Taoist ethics of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu. This work broadens a student's perspective and enriches one's understanding of ethical principles as they occur and have developed historically in different cultural contexts. Robert Zeuschner teaches Philosophy at Pasadena City College. He received his Ph.D. in Asian and Comparative Philosophy from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and has taught at Occidental College, University of California, University of Southern California, and several Hawaiian institutions. He has published translations of Chinese Buddhist texts and numerous articles in philosophical journals. Dr. Zeuschner also has many interests, including collecting rare books and art, playing acoustic guitar, and studying Zen gardens.

This text combines discussions of major classical Western philosophical ethical systems (primarily Greek and Judeo-Christian) and, in equal depth, discussions of three non-Western ethical traditions (Indian Buddhist, Chinese Confucian, and Chinese Taoist) in a multi-cultural historical framework.

This book is an introduction in the very best sense of the word. It provides the beginner with an accurate, sophisticated, yet accessible account, and offers new insights and challenging perspectives to those who have more specialized knowledge. Focusing on the period in Chinese philosophy that is surely most easily approachable and perhaps is most important, it ranges over of rich set of competing options. It also, with admirable self-consciousness, presents a number of daring attempts to relate those options to philosophical figures and movements from the West. I recommend it very highly.--Lee H. Yearley, Walter Y. Evans-Wentz Professor, Religious Studies, Stanford University

"Readings In Classical Ethics" fills the need for an ethics reader that is actually easy to read because it is published in a clear large print. Covering figures from Confucius in the 6th century BC all the way up to Edith Stein in the 20th century AD it is a comprehensive ethics reader. Featuring selections from both Western and Eastern Philosophy, Christianity, Judaism, and Feminism it is a diverse ethics reader. Published by an ethics instructor at a reasonable price ethics students can afford "Readings In Classical Ethics" is a great choice for ethics courses or just those with a general interest in the topic (newly revised based upon actual classroom use).

Confucian Ethics of the Axial Age describes the formative period of Chinese culture--the last centuries of the Zhou dynasty--as an early epoch of enlightenment. It comprehensively reconstructs the ethical discourse as thought gradually became emancipated from tradition and institutions. Rather than presenting a chronology of different thinkers and works, this book discusses the systematic aspects of moral philosophies. Based on original texts, Roetz focuses on filial piety; the conflict between the family and the state; the legitimating of the political order; the virtues of loyalty, friendship, and harmony; concepts of justice; the principle of humaneness and its different readings; the Golden Rule; the moral person; the autonomous self, motivation, decision and conscience; and various attempts to ground morality in religion, human nature, or reason. These topics are arranged in such a way that the genetic structure and the logical development of the moral reasoning becomes apparent. From this detached perspective, conventional morality is either rejected or critically reestablished under the restraint of new abstract and universal norms. This makes the Chinese developments part of the ancient worldwide movement of enlightenment of the axial age.

Traditional scholars of philosophy and religion, both East and West, often place a major emphasis on analyzing the nature of "the self." In recent decades, there has been a renewed interest in analyzing self, but most scholars have not claimed knowledge of an ahistorical, objective, essential self free from all cultural determinants. The contributors of this volume recognize the need to contextualize specific views of self and to analyze such views in terms of the dynamic, dialectical relations between self and culture. An unusual feature of this book is that all of the chapters not only focus on traditions and individuals, East and West, but include as primary emphases comparative philosophy, religion, and culture, reinforcing individual and cultural creativity. Each chapter brings specific Eastern and Western perspectives into a dynamic, comparative relation. This comparative orientation emphasizes our growing sense of interrelatedness and interdependency.

The intellectual legacy of Confucianism has loomed large in efforts to understand China's past, present, and future. While Confucian ethics has been thoroughly explored, the question remains: what exactly is Confucian political thought? Classical Confucian Political Thought returns to the classical texts of the Confucian tradition to answer this vital question. Showing how Confucian ethics and politics diverge, Loubna El Amine argues that Confucian political thought is not a direct application of Confucian moral philosophy. Instead, contrary to the conventional view that Confucian rule aims to instill virtue in all members of society, El Amine demonstrates that its main aim is to promote political order. El Amine analyzes key aspects of the Confucian political vision, including the relationship between the ruler and the people, the typology of rulers, and the role of ministers and government officials. She also looks at Confucianism’s account of the mechanisms through which society is to be regulated, from welfare policies to rituals. She explains that the Confucian conception of the political leaves space open for the rule of those who are not virtuous if these rulers establish and maintain political order. She also contends that Confucians defend the duty to take part in government based on the benefits that such participation can bring to society. Classical Confucian Political Thought brings a new understanding to Confucian political theory by illustrating that it is not chiefly idealistic and centered on virtue, but rather realistic and driven by political concerns.