Personal Identity and Applied Ethics: A Historical and Philosophical Introduction

Book Information:
• Author: Andrea Sauchelli
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Language: English
• Edition: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of Pages: 244
• Release Date: November 20, 2017
• Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• EAN: 9781138185692

About The Book:
Personal Identity and Applied Ethics by Andrea Sauchelli offers a comprehensive and comparative exploration of one of philosophy’s most enduring and significant puzzles—the nature of personal identity. Drawing on perspectives across metaphysics, ethics, and religion, this thought-provoking text investigates how conceptions of the self shape moral decision-making and ethical reasoning.

This first edition paperback examines diverse approaches, including classical views from Plato, Christianity, and Descartes; Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism’s 'no-self' doctrine and Confucian ideas of self-cultivation; and modern debates like Locke’s memory theory, animalism, narrative identity, and embodied theories. Sauchelli also connects these philosophical insights to real-world ethical concerns such as abortion, organ transplantation, life after death, and the effects of life-extending technologies.

Rich in academic rigor yet accessible in tone, this book incorporates the contributions of prominent thinkers such as Sydney Shoemaker, Derek Parfit, Christine Korsgaard, and Marya Schechtman. With clear chapter summaries, a glossary of key terms, and curated reading suggestions, it serves as an ideal text for philosophy, religious studies, and ethics courses that integrate both Western and non-Western approaches.

Whether you're a student, educator, or curious reader, Personal Identity and Applied Ethics is an insightful guide into the complex landscape of who we are and what it means to be a person.