There's something really clever going on in Appiah's take on ethics in a global world. He goes out of his way to point out that while the main thrust of his positive argument is "you care about X because your neighbour does" is easy to articulate, it's damn hard to get there in most ethical systems.

I don't think this will appeal or even make sense to anyone interested in defining their identity with nations and states. In many ways, Appiah's moral compass only makes sense in a post-colonial context. If you think some accident of your birth entitles you to a special or nobler moral value then he has nothing to offer you. The very point of Appiah's approach to ethics is to first realize that most of the historical precedents that are pointed to for defining moral identities are themeselves mutable. Judgements aren't static. They change over time and they change dramatically when in contact with the wider world.

Why bother reading this? In a political era where nationalism and populism is surprisingly effective, Appiah points out that the purity of moral identities is fiction. This isn't ivory tower philosophy. It's applied ethics that gets the experience of the world from a non-majority point of view--something that's really hard to find articulated so well in any work on ethics. ( )

Philosophy and deep thinkers fans alike will enjoy this book. The themes of respecting people's differences and knowing that we are all in this world together is sure to touch people's hearts. Whether you agree with Appiah's views or not, I believe you will leave the book with at least a better understanding and respect for others as well as yourself. An excellent addition to any library. ( )

The worth of a great book is that it changes your mind. I've learned so much and have been swayed on many issues by Appiah. In issues I already agreed with, he reasoned and put them down in a way that I couldn't have expressed better myself. A slim volume, but a good read. I'll probably re-read it at some point. ( )

Thoughful, well-reasoned. Nice introduction. Good message, but reliant on good SES. ( )

important despite it's date

weaker towards the end ( )