A new book titled "Moral Puzzles: Contractarian Fix," by Dr. Malcolm Murray, professor of philosophy at UPEI, will be launched on Monday, October 19, at 7 pm in the Faculty Lounge (Room 201), SDU Main Building. Hosted by the Bookmark, this event is free, and all are welcome.

Standard approaches to moral puzzles rest on a shared premise: that morality is timeless, written into the fabric of the universe. In Dr. Murray’s view, morality is not a set of enduring truths but the outcome of human evolution and natural selection. This social contract—a system of rules that rational, self-interested agents agree to follow because it enables a safer, more co-operative social life—highlights the difference between idealized moral theories and the real-world applications that often fall short of those ideals. In elegant, entertaining prose, "Moral Puzzles" ventures beyond the popular understanding of morality as a natural product, revisiting problems in moral philosophy with striking results. Dr. Murray invites readers to rediscover the central puzzles of moral theory through fresh arguments and interpretations.

Dr. Murray is the author of six philosophy books including "Morals and Consent: Contractarian Solutions to Ethical Woes." In addition, he has written a collection of one-act plays titled "The Philosopher," and his short stories have appeared in "Snow Softly Falling," "Riptides," "Galleon," and "Fiction Fix."