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Philosopher Travis Rieder outlines a new ethics for the age of humanmade catastrophe. We are all asking, in a hyperglobalised world hurtling towards environmental destruction: how do we determine the right actions? Do our individual efforts to avoid plastic or air travel, or to drive electric, make any real difference?
We urgently need to expand our ethical toolkit. The mental tools most of us rely on to 'do the right thing' just don't work when it comes to reasoning about large collective problems. From the small stuff like single-use plastics to major decisions like whether to have children, Rieder defines exactly how we can change our thinking and lead a decent, meaningful life in a scary, complicated world.
Travis Rieder is an associate research professor at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics and an expert in climate change ethics. His first book In Pain was named an NPR Best Book of 2019 and his TED Talk on the same topic has been viewed 2.8 million times. He has written for Psychology Today and the New York Times. Catastrophe Ethics is his second book.
"Smart, splendid, and brave. A crash course in ethics from an expert philosopher that gave me hope for the future. A must-read for anyone who cares about doing good in the world"
– Anna Lembke, New York Times-bestselling author of Dopamine Nation
"With an open mind and a firm grasp of the issues, Rieder brings the question of living a decent life into the modern era"
– Kirkus
"Eloquent, incisive and highly engaging, Catastrophe Ethics is an indispensable exploration of the choices we can make in a complex and challenging time"
– Ben Goldsmith, environmentalist and financier
"A fascinating and thought-provoking guide to navigating the ethics of the climate crisis"
– Siddarth Shrikanth, author of The Case for Nature
"If you want to be hopeful about whether an individual can act morally in a world where individuals don't seem to make much of a difference, this is the book for you"
– Barry Lam, Professor of Philosophy, University of California, and presenter of the Hi-Phi Nation podcast
"An excellent resource for the environmentally conscious weighing their life's choices"
– Publishers Weekly Starred Review
