Moral Strangers, Moral Acquaintance, and Moral Friends

Erich H. Loewy is Professor and Endowed Alumni Chair of Bioethics, University of California—Davis. He is the author of Suffering and the Beneficent Community: Beyond Libertarianism and Freedom and Community: The Ethics of Interdependence, also published by SUNY Press.

"This book addresses an essential theme in bioethics and ethics, namely, the different obligations to moral strangers, acquaintances, and friends. As such, it goes to the heart of the nature of obligations that are properly termed ethical and represents a telling criticism of a major line of thinking in this area." — George J. Agich, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine"The author develops an interesting and original analysis of social relationships. His explication and application of Rousseau's works to the subject is most helpful. His examples, especially those from his personal experience, clarify his points, accentuate their importance, and animate the text. There are few books that cover this broad territory with such philosophical scholarship, sophistication, and depth." — Chris Hackler, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Suffering, Communities, and Interconnections2. Moral Acquaintances: A Way of Relating3. Social Connectedness, Social Contract, A Prioris and Strangers4. Crafting an Ethic5. Summing Up: Problems and ApproachesNotesIndex