Buy new:
$31.84
List Price: $34.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Save: $2.16 (6%)
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery April 12 - 19 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery April 11 - 17
$$31.84 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$31.84
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
New & Used (36) from
$30.90  FREE Shipping on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Thomas Scanlon
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

What We Owe to Each Other Paperback – November 15, 2000

by T. M. Scanlon (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars 594
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$31.84","priceAmount":31.84,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"31","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"84","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"bxvmoPFAKFHAp4V3WW2FWt16ocUUZ2yHFrkROZcF085y2BTHMsRTsCKtUZpO0u9YtpZMiBbiI35oUi7lAcEtchIlELQNVGejEDjHPqIQT%2BshdJTNVG6BvC9V%2BAZAnaRvPSrdALnu8E4%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Previous page
  1. Print length
    432 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Belknap Press: An Imprint of Harvard University Press
  4. Publication date
    November 15, 2000
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    067400423X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0674004238
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

What We Owe to Each Other
$31.84
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Good Place and Philosophy: Everything is Forking Fine! (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)
$13.99
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Death (The Art of Living)
$35.85
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3
In Stock
Sold by ayvax and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“[Scanlon's] discussions are deep and honest, and they illuminate many key concepts of moral philosophy: well being, trust, friendship, loyalty, promises. It would be―and will be―the business of more than one doctoral thesis to assess his success.”―Simon Blackburn, New York Times Book Review

“T. M. Scanlon is a scrupulous, astringent, relentlessly exact writer, without any of the fuss and flutter that come from the desire to please. His book is pure philosophy, unadulterated.”―Stuart Hampshire, New York Review of Books

“Thomas Scanlon's understanding of [morality's] complexity and of its sources in the variety of human relations and values is one of the virtues of this illuminating book. To say that it is long awaited would be an understatement. Scanlon has been one of the most influential contributors to moral and political philosophy for years...The appearance of his first book, a complex and powerful argument for the moral theory first sketched in his essay Contractualism and Utilitarianism, is a philosophical event.”―Thomas Nagel, London Review of Books

“I rejoice in the appearance of this magnificent book. It is not often that a work on ethics opens up a novel, arresting position on matters that have been debated for thousands of years. And What We Owe To Each Other does precisely that.”―Philip Pettit, Times Literary Supplement

“Mr. Scanlon has produced a compelling explanation of the moral thinking behind such duties as truth-telling and promise-keeping, and for this he deserves great praise.”―Douglas A. Sylva, Washington Times

“Seeks to explain how human societies might find moral authority without appealing to a deity or inherited laws. The answer comes from a sort of idealized social negotiation―the process of thinking, in good faith, with a community of other good-faith thinkers.”―Sam Anderson, New York Times

“What do we owe to each other? What obligations of honesty, respect, trust and consideration exist between people? That is the deep and ancient question Harvard philosopher T. M. Scanlon attempts to illuminate in this closely argued book. Its success as an argument illustrates why moral philosophy should matter...Scanlon is a careful and precise thinker, a leading figure in contemporary philosophy, and here he is working at the height of his considerable powers.”―Mark Kingwell, Globe and Mail

“Scanlon presents the most complete statement to date of his version of 'contractualism'...He treats as basic the notion that we have reason to want to live with others and are motivated to seek agreement on a set of principles for the general regulation of behavior that others similarly motivated could not reasonably reject...He carefully addresses many concerns that have been raised about his and similar versions of contractualism; anyone discussing contractualism will have to consider his account.”―D. R. C. Reed, Choice

“Scanlon offers a sharp challenge to much contemporary moral philosophy. Most philosophers think that agreements between people play only a subsidiary role in moral theory. What is right or wrong is independent of what people accept. Agreements rest on morality; they do not underlie it. Scanlon dissents. In his conception, morality depends on principles it would not be reasonable for people to reject. These agreements do not derive from further moral facts. Scanlon also challenges the view that desires give reasons for action, leveling heavy artillery at the contrary position of Bernard Williams. The originality, scope, and careful argument of this work mark it as an indispensable book.”―David Gordon, Library Journal

From the Back Cover

According to T. M. Scanlon's contractualist view, thinking about right and wrong is thinking about what we do in terms that could be justified to others and that they could not reasonably reject. He shows how the special authority of conclusions about right and wrong arises from the value of being related to others in this way, and he demonstrates how familiar moral ideas such as fairness and responsibility can be understood through their role in this process of mutual justification and criticism.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Belknap Press: An Imprint of Harvard University Press (November 15, 2000)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 067400423X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0674004238
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 594

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Thomas Scanlon

Thomas Scanlon

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
594 global ratings
Great price!
4 Stars
Great price!
There was something waxy on the front cover. I wished it would of been wrapped but eh that’s bad for the environment. Great price and dash shipping.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Jean Choi
5.0 out of 5 stars A book to accompany you through different stages of your life.
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Thick Material
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
Helpful
 Report
BToasty
5.0 out of 5 stars Heavy, but Morally Enlightening
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2022
Verified Purchase
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Annabell Wake
5.0 out of 5 stars Great condition
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Matthew
5.0 out of 5 stars The good place
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2021
Verified Purchase
35 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Emily Yerdon
5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Rosie
4.0 out of 5 stars Great price!
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2021
Verified Purchase
Customer image
Rosie
4.0 out of 5 stars Great price!
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2021
There was something waxy on the front cover. I wished it would of been wrapped but eh that’s bad for the environment. Great price and dash shipping.
Images in this review
Customer image Customer image Customer image
Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer image
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
JS
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2020
Verified Purchase
22 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Barbara
5.0 out of 5 stars THATS WHY EVERYBODY HATE PHILOSOPHERS KKKKKKKK
Reviewed in Brazil on December 24, 2022
Verified Purchase
7 people found this helpful
 Report
Josh
5.0 out of 5 stars The Good Place
Reviewed in Canada on December 21, 2020
Verified Purchase
3 people found this helpful
 Report
Francisco Javier
5.0 out of 5 stars Un clásico del análisis ético
Reviewed in Spain on March 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
Report
Daniela Lemus
5.0 out of 5 stars Léanlo!
Reviewed in Mexico on July 4, 2020
Verified Purchase
Report
A real customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Eleanor - Find Chidi
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2020
Verified Purchase
7 people found this helpful
 Report