Shelly Kagan

Shelly Kagan is the Clark Professor of Philosophy at Yale Universityand the former Henry R. LuceProfessor of Social Thought and Ethics. Originally a native of Skokie, Illinois, he received his B.A. from Wesleyan Universityand his Ph.D. from Princeton University. He taught at the University of Pittsburghand at the University of Illinois at Chicagobefore coming to Yale.

According to an article in the Yale Bulletin and Calendar, his The Limits of Morality "critiques so-called ordinary morality; the view that there are limits to what morality can impose on humans; and defends the doctrine of classical utilitarianism, which holds that people are morally obliged, without limit, to do as much good as they can." His Normative Ethics "examines how to judge the rightness or wrongness of actions, exploring such factors as consequences, harm and consent."

Kagan is currently exploring the concept of desert which is a philosophical concept of what individuals do or do not deserve. He is working on a book called The Geometry of Desert to be published in the future. Kagan is also a member of the editorial board of the journal Ethics.

Books

• Normative Ethics, Westview Press, 1997. ISBN 0813308461.
• The Limits of Morality, Oxford University Press, 1989. ISBN 0198239165.

References

• Biography at Yaleretrieved February 3, 2005
• "Shelly Kagan named Clark Professor of Philosophy", Yale Bulletin and Calendar, July 23, 2004, Volume 32, Number 33 retrieved February 3, 2005

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