This volume addresses a wide variety of moral concerns regarding slavery as an institutionalized social practice. By considering the slave's critical appropriation of the natural rights doctrine, the ambiguous implications of various notions of consent and liberty are examined. The authors assume that, although slavery is undoubtedly an evil social practice, its moral assessment stands in need of a more nuanced treatment. They address the question of what is wrong with slavery by critically examining, and in some cases endorsing, certain principles derived from communitarianism, paternalism, utilitarianism, and jurisprudence.

Anita L. Allen, Associate Dean and Professor, The Law Center, Georgetown University. Bernard R. Boxill, Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Joshua Cohen, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. R. M. Hare, Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Florida. Bill E. Lawson, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University. Tommy L. Lott, Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Missouri--St. Louis. Howard McGary, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Rutgers University. Julius Moravcsik, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Stanford University. John Perry, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Stanford University. Laurence M. Thomas, Professor, Department of Philosophy, Syracruse University. William Uzgalis, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Oregon State University. Julie K. Ward, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Loyola University, Chicago. Cynthia Willett, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Emory University. Bernard Williams, Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of California--Berkeley.