Perspectives in Applied Ethics

Philosophy is a critique of other modes of thought. There have been, during the past half century, tremendous advances in sciences, especially in the field of biomedicine, environment science, business management study, computronics and cybernetics, etc. The thinking and activities in these fields raise many philosophical issues which are predominantly ethical. The agent confronts ethical dilemmas and finds himself in a fix whether to do or not to do a given task calling for urgent resolution of the issues involved, shallow ecology and deep ecology, profit making, whistle blowing, etc.

This book is an attempt to give clear perspectives of the aforesaid issues of biomedical ethics, environmental ethics and business ethics.

Born in 1974, Srimati Prajna Prakasini Das Kanungo is B.A. Hons., M.A., M.Phil and Ph.D. in Philosophy from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Orissa with a brilliant first class career throughout. She specialises in analytical philosophy, political philosophy, applied and professional ethics. She is at her best in applied and professional ethics and has published some papers in these areas. She has published a book under the title The Primacy of the Ethical in Kautilya’s Arthasastra. She has not taken up any assignment yet and is now engaged in a post-doctoral work in business ethics.

The book entitled Perspectives in Applied Ethics by Prajna Prakasini Das Kanungo is definitely a contribution to what is known as applied ethics. The author has very carefully formulated various issues in biomedical, environmental and business ethics. The book deserves serious attention of scholars and general readers as well.

But it ought to be remembered that applied ethics is nota new subject as it is being trumpeted in the academic world today. Further, it is most unfortunate that in spite of the fact that ethics and moral philosophy are increasingly are being taught at various levels, yet the moral situation is yet to improve. To convert the situation to a mockery and to add insult to injury, some leading philosophers in India who very often write and teach moral philosophy advocate the view that an absolutely immoral person may be a very good moral philosopher. This is precisely the reason why nobody takes philosophers in general and moral philosophers in particular sincerely. Time has come for the moral philosophers not only to discuss various moral and ethical issues in great detail, but to lead a moral life, so that he/ she could be a model for others. Only then things will change and improve.

I hope that this book will be helpful to stimulate reflection and help improve the situation.

**Contents and Sample Pages**