The Ethics of Homelessness: Philosophical Perspectives (Value Inquiry Book Series, 343)

This book extends the study of homelessness beyond the need of shelter. Philosophical exploration exposes the fragility of human fulfillment in contemporary society. The authors weave the moral fabric of what it means to be human. They show how economic and political values compromise the dignity of homeless persons. They argue for recognition of rights for the homeless, who otherwise would be voiceless and without membership in the moral community. This pioneering contribution instills our moral sensitivity to the homeless condition and justifies our moral responsibility to change that condition.

G. JOHN M. ABBARNO is Professor of Philosophy at D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York. His areas of specialization include ethical theory and applied ethics, particularly in business, nursing, and psychiatry. His several journal publications include “Value and Role Responsibility” in The Journal of Value Inquiry (1991), and he co-authored the book The Corporation in the Moral Community (Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich, 1992). He is past President of the American Society for Value Inquiry (1991), President of the International Society for Value Inquiry (1998-2000), and Vice President of the Conference on Philosophical Societies (1997-1999). He remains active in several other philosophical societies.