Common Values

In Common Values, Sissela Bok asks what moral values, if any, might be capable of being shared across national, ethnic, religious, and other boundaries, under what circumstances, and with what qualifications. Bok argues that certain basic values can be shared cross-culturally without infringing on the richness of diversity and can provide a starting point for dialogue, negotiation, and cooperation. She takes a stand against the claim that respect for cultural diversity and respect for common values are mutually exclusive or somehow diminish one another. Examining different moral and religious traditions, she singles out certain fundamental values as having had to be worked out in even the most primitive human communities for purposes of group thriving and survival. Drawing on a great deal of historical material, Bok also includes in her examination consideration of the 1993 United Nations World Conference on Human Rights; the World Parliament of Religions; the publication of Veritatis Splendor, Pope John Paul II's proclamation on morality; and the International Commission of Global Governance. Combining moral theory with practical ethics, demonstrating how moral values apply to all facets of life, Bok's eloquent defense of shared morality addresses a crucial topic of our time.