The man behind the New York Times MagazineÂs immensely popular column ÂThe EthicistÂÂsyndicated in newspapers across the United States and Canada as ÂEveryday EthicsÂÂcasts an eye on todayÂs manners and mores with a provocative, thematic collection of advice on how to be good in the real world.

Every week in his column on ethics, Randy Cohen takes on conundrums presented in letters from perplexed people who want to do the right thing (or hope to get away with doing the wrong thing), and responds with a skillful blend of moral authority and humor. CohenÂs wisdom and witticisms have now been collected in The Good, the Bad & the Difference, a collection of his columns as wise and funny as a combination of ÂDear Abby, Plato, and Mel Brooks. The columns are supplemented with second thoughts on (and sometimes complete reversals of) his original replies, follow-up notes on how his advice affected the actions of various letter writers, reactions from readers both pro and con, and observations from such Âguest ethicists as David Eggers and the authorÂs mom. Each chapter also features an ÂEthics Pop Quiz, and readers will be invited to post their answers on the bookÂs Web site. The best of them will appear in a future paperback edition of the book.

The Good, the Bad & the Difference is divided into seven sections:
ÂCivic Life (what we do in public)

ÂFamily Life (what we do at home)

ÂSocial Life (what we do in other peopleÂs homes)

ÂCommercial Life (what we do in situations where money is a factor)

ÂMedical Life (the rights and obligations of patients and caregivers)

ÂWork Life (ethics for the professional sphere)

ÂSchool Life (moral questions from and about kids)

Each section provides a window into how we live today, shedding light on the ways in which a more ethical approach to the decisions we make, and to our daily behavior, can make a big difference in how we feel about ourselves tomorrow.

Book details

• Format Hardcover
• Pages277 pages
• LanguageEnglish
• ISBN100385502737
• ISBN139780385502733