Utilitarianism in The Books Store

Pornographic images degrade women. They reinforce old stereotypes about the sexual roles of men and women.

Images of violence and mutilation are common in pornography, causing men to become violent toward women, particularly during sex.

Pornography harms all women, because those who view it learn that women are just objects to be used for sex.

Pornography inspires men to force, coerce, or cajole their partners into performing deviant sexual acts against their wishes.

So say these opponents of pornography. But is pornography really as harmful as its critics would have us believe?

Alan Soble explores in graphic detail the nature of pornography and men's sexuality, revealing the paternalistic nature of both conservative and feminist opposition to pornography. Responding to the arguments of such critics as Andrea Dworkin, Catharine MacKinnon, Michael Kimmel, Eva Kittay, and Phyllis Chesler, Soble exposes flaws in research and reporting, simplistic interpretations, and misleading conclusions.

Utilitarianism, belaboured by repeated counterexamples, has fallen out of favour as an ethical theory. In Utilitarianism: Restorations; Repairs; Renovations, noted Canadian philosopher David Braybrooke revisits Jeremy Bentham's master idea that statistical evidence should determine social policies, and ? perhaps surprisingly, given Braybooke's recent championship of natural law ? dispels the discredit that standard versions of utilitarianism have invited.

On the issue between rule-utilitarianism (which gives due weight to rules) and act-utilitarianism (which does not), Braybrooke argues that act-utilitarianism cannot be carried out even in principle except under the auspices of rules. He shows that the problem with not knowing all consequences ahead of time vanishes if decisions are subject to continual rounds of revision. Invoking the elementary statistical principle that groups should not be changed in membership just to get more favourable results, he disposes of the accusation that utilitarianism prescribes gratuitous life-sacrifices.

Substituting comparative censuses for the hedonistic calculus that figures in standard utilitarianism, Braybrooke excludes gratuitous sacrifices also of happiness short of life-sacrifices. The census notion is proof against the self-contradictory advice that the calculus sometimes supplies. Moreover, it readily accommodates evidence about happiness and needs, both better pursued by dropping the notion of utility. Recast in these ways, utilitarianism takes on a very different guise from the standard versions; it is notwithstanding a guise congenial to Bentham's master idea, and its affinity with the utilitarian tradition and ordinary language shows up in the full intelligibility that it gives to the slogan, "the greatest happiness of the greatest number."

In the spring of 1996, James Campion immersed himself in the thorny subject of humanity's mad pursuit of an origin and purpose to existence. Intrigued by the life and teachings of philosophical and spiritual leaders over the centuries and fueled by a questioning of his devout Catholic background lead the author to a natural exploration of Jesus Christ from revolutionary vagabond to religious icon.

Carving out images from his past and passionately delving into the gospel legend prompted a tireless journey to the Holy Land. Across the desert, in the footsteps of the mysterious, inside the mind and out of the heart, the results of his trek are found in the introspective and controversial pages of "Trailing Jesus".

It is more than a true story of self-discovery and Biblical revelations. It is literally a lifetime dissected in a single trip. Mostly it is an emotional investigation of one of the most enigmatic spiritual leaders in the pantheon of human experience, a controversial view of Jesus of Nazareth, the peasant messiah whose spiritual revolution is still prevalent after two thousand years. The Greatest Story Ever Told is understood quite differently through the eyes of an author in search of spirit and wonder in a violently cold world.

"Trailing Jesus" is a major work for the 21st century. It topples icons, punctures dogma and resuscitates the memory of a movement so influential it has spanned two millennium of speculation and debate, infatuation and worship, war and bigotry, power and compassion.