With over 520 million followers, Buddhism stands as the world’s fourth largest religion. Over the last seventy years, its allure has grown, captivating the Western imagination as an alternative or complement to existing beliefs.

Damien Keown’s Very Short Introduction explores Buddhism’s approach to contemporary moral issues. Discover Buddhist perspectives on:

Our relationship with the environment
The treatment of animals
Abortion
Sexuality and gender
Violence and war
This new edition includes a discussion of the ethical challenges posed by developments in science and biomedical technologies, including neuroscience, artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and gene editing.