Virtuous Giving: Philanthropy, Voluntary Service and Caring (Philanthropic and Nonprofit Studies) - Hardcover

Philosophers have neglected philanthropy, dealing with it piecemeal or to illustrate abstract moral principles. Writing for the general reader, Mike W. Martin explores the philosophic basis of virtuous giving. After developing a unifying conception of philanthropy, Martin investigates a number of important questions: Does philanthropy express certain virtues? If so, what is their role? Is there a responsibility to engage in philanthropic activity? Do motives matter? How might philanthropy make a contribution to self-fulfillment? Martin's book will be welcome reading for anyone who has pondered what caring and giving mean for a good society.

MIKE W. MARTIN is Professor of Philosophy at Chapman University and author of Everyday Morality, Self-Deception and Morality, and many articles in applied ethics; he is also co-author of Ethics in Engineering and editor of Self-Deception and Self-Understanding.