The Decline of Mercy in Public Life (Paperback)

Introduction; Part I. Mercy and Politics outside the Western Christian Tradition: 1. Mercy and justice in Buddhist, Islamic, and Eastern Orthodox thought; 2. Mercy and the ancient defense of honor; Part II. Mercy and Justice in the Western Christian Tradition: 3. Mercy as charity in Augustine and early Christian thought; 4. Christian mercy from Anselm to Calvin; Part III. Modern Liberalism and the Decline of Mercy: 5. The primacy of the political in modern natural law; 6. The rise of utilitarianism and the return of retributivism; Part IV. Mercy and Impartiality in the Utilitarian and Kantian Traditions: 7. Mercy as cruelty in Bentham and the utilitarian tradition; 8. Mercy as injustice in Kant and the retributivist tradition; Part V. Mercy and Justice Today: 9. The meanings of mercy; 10. The case for mercy.