Recommendation: Miller, An Introduction to Contemporary MetaEthics
Reason: Jacobs’ The Dimensions of Moral Theory is shorter and easier, for beginners, but it doesn’t explain contemporary debates hardly at all. Miller’s books is more comprehensive, precise, and contemporary, and even includes some original arguments (the section on Railton is particularly good). I’d like to see an updated third edition, but the 2nd edition from 2003 is still the best thing out there for an overview of meta-ethics. Smith’s Ethics and the A Priori is pretty good, but of course it’s the opinion of just one philosopher’s views, and not good for an overview.
Subject: Meta-ethics
Recommendation: Miller, An Introduction to Contemporary MetaEthics
Reason: Jacobs’ The Dimensions of Moral Theory is shorter and easier, for beginners, but it doesn’t explain contemporary debates hardly at all. Miller’s books is more comprehensive, precise, and contemporary, and even includes some original arguments (the section on Railton is particularly good). I’d like to see an updated third edition, but the 2nd edition from 2003 is still the best thing out there for an overview of meta-ethics. Smith’s Ethics and the A Priori is pretty good, but of course it’s the opinion of just one philosopher’s views, and not good for an overview.
The new edition (second edition—Luke must have got it wrong, the 2003 edition is the first) has arrived.