For the Good of the World: Why Our Planet's Crises Need Global Agreement Now

Description

Can we human beings agree on a set of values which will allow us to confront the numerous threats that we and our planet face? Or will we continue our disagreements, rivalries and antipathies, even as we collectively approach what, in the not impossible extreme, might be extinction? To answer these questions, A. C. Grayling considers the three most pressing challenges facing the world: climate change, technology and justice, acknowledging that there is no worldwide set of values that can be invoked to underwrite agreements about what to do and not do in the interests of humanity and the planet in all these respects. If there is to be a chance of finding ways to generate universal agreement on how the world's various problems are to be confronted - at least managed, if not solved - the underlying question of values (together with the problem of relativism) has to be addressed. One part of the answer may lie in toleration and convivencia - the basis of coexistence among Muslims, Jews and Christians in the Iberian peninsula between the ninth and fifteenth centuries CE.

A. C. Grayling is the Founder and Principal of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern University, London, and its Professor of Philosophy. Among his many books are The God Argument, Democracy and Its Crisis, The History of Philosophy, The Good State and The Frontiers of Knowledge. He has been a regular contributor to The Times, Guardian, Financial Times, Independent on Sunday, Economist, New Statesman, Prospect and New European. He appears frequently on radio and TV, including Newsnight and CNN News. He lives in London.

'A truly excellent book. Grayling invites us all into a vital discussion of our planet's future.' -- Sir David King, former Chief Scientific Adviser 'A must read for anyone with questions, worries and fears about pollution, poverty, protectionism, populism, weapons proliferation, and where our world is headed.' -- Gordon Brown, former UK prime minister 'Grayling writes with admirable clarity and great conviction. He is clearly one of the good guys, appalled by the universality of infamy: climate nationalism, religious bigotry, gender inequality.' -- Iain Macwhirter, Herald (Glasgow) 'An enthusiastic thinker who embraces humour, common sense and lucidity.' -- Independent 'Grayling is particularly good at illuminating the knottiness of moral discourse.' -- Sunday Times 'A truly excellent book. Grayling invites us all into a vital discussion of our planet's future. The chapter on climate change, particularly, is an outstanding summary of the challenges we face.' -- Sir David King, former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government