Michael Rosen - Understanding Right and Wrong

This edition published in 2020 by:

The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street

New York, NY 10010

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Rosen, Michael. | Young, Annemarie.

Title: Understanding right and wrong / Michael Rosen and Annemarie Young.

Description: New York: Rosen Central, 2020. | Series: Social justice handbook | Includes glossary and index.

Identifiers: ISBN 9781725346864 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781725346871 (library bound)

Subjects: LCSH: EthicsJuvenile literature. | Right and wrongJuvenile literature. | ValuesJuvenile literature. | Decision makingMoral and ethical aspectsJuvenile literature. Right and wrongJuvenile literature.

Classification: LCC BJ1012.R67 2019 | DDC 170dc23

Manufactured in the United States of America

Copyright 2020 Wayland, a division of Hachette Childrens Group

Editor: Nicola Edwards

Designer: Rocket Design [East Anglia] Ltd

Artwork by Oli Frape

Picture acknowledgements:

Cover photo: Ariel Skelley / iStock / Getty Images Plus. Cover design element: CS Stock / Shutterstock; .

Contents

What Is This Book About?

E very day we make decisions that are underpinned by our ideas of what is right and wrong. But where do these ideas come from? Where do our values come from and who decides which values are used in a society? This book is not going to tell you what to think. Our aim is to get you to think for yourselves about these and many other related questions.

We think its important that everyone should think about lifes big questions, and never just accept what they are told. This doesnt mean that you cant continue to hold the ideas or values that you had, but if you do, youll know that those values are your own and not just an unthinking acceptance of someone elses ideas.

How does the book work?

Weve chosen topics that are strongly connected to the values people hold and to their ideas of what is right and wrong, such as democracy, justice, fairness, prejudice and discrimination, education, climate change, and war. Well give you information about each topic and ask questions related to them to get you thinking about your own values. Of course, we couldnt possibly fit into this one book all the information you need in order to answer all the questions. Instead, well provide you with information about some key principles and institutions such as the rule of law, and the key principles of democracy and other aspects of the questions, such as information on wars or climate change.

How can the problems of pollution and climate change be solved? When air pollution in cities is often too bad for children to play outside, should governments ban the combustion engine and phase in electric cars?

Well also ask you to find out more about some of the issues and how they relate to your life and your values. For example, if your country went to war, would you take part? If your country was invaded, would you resist?

The people in the book

Well tell you about ourselves, and how we developed our own ideas and values. You will also hear from four people Laura Bates, Richard Rieser, Tulip Siddiq, and Alex Wheatle wholl discuss their own experiences and thoughts about right and wrong. In addition, there are quotes from other people spread through the book.