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James Rachels (James Webster Rachels) was born on 30 May, 1941 in Columbus, Georgia, U.S., is an American philosopher and ethicist. Discover James Rachels's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 62 years old?

Popular As James Webster Rachels
Occupation N/A
Age 62 years old
Zodiac Sign Gemini
Born 30 May, 1941
Birthday 30 May
Birthplace Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
Date of death 5 September, 2003
Died Place Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Nationality Georgia

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 30 May. He is a member of famous philosopher with the age 62 years old group.

James Rachels Height, Weight & Measurements

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James Rachels Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is James Rachels worth at the age of 62 years old? James Rachels’s income source is mostly from being a successful philosopher. He is from Georgia. We have estimated James Rachels's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
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Timeline

1941

James Webster Rachels (May 30, 1941 – September 5, 2003) was an American philosopher who specialized in ethics and animal rights.

1962

Rachels was born in Columbus, Georgia, and graduated from Mercer University in 1962.

He married Carol Williams in 1962, and they had two sons, David and Stuart.

As a teenager, he won a national speech contest that enabled him to appear on American Bandstand and to meet John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon.

He taught chess to his 9-year-old son, Stuart, who became the youngest chess master in American history at age 11.

1967

He received his Ph.D. in 1967 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, studying under W. D. Falk and E. M. Adams.

He taught at the University of Richmond, New York University, the University of Miami, Duke University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he spent the last twenty-six years of his career.

1971

The publication in 1971 of his anthology, Moral Problems, marked a shift from teaching meta-ethics in American colleges to teaching concrete practical issues.

Moral Problems sold 100,000 copies over three editions.

1975

In 1975, Rachels wrote "Active and Passive Euthanasia", which originally appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, and argued that the distinction so important in the law between killing and letting die (often based on the principle of double effect) has no rational basis.

He argued that, if we allow passive euthanasia, we should also allow active euthanasia, because it is more humane, and because there is no significant moral difference between killing and allowing to die.

1977

At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Rachels started in 1977 as Chair of Philosophy, became Dean of Arts and Humanities from 1978-1983, and then one year as Acting Vice-President for University College.

1986

The End of Life (1986), a moral treatise on life and death, broadened and deepened these ideas.

Rachels wrote only a few works that were not directly focused on ethics.

1990

Created from Animals (1990) made the case that a Darwinian world-view has widespread philosophical implications, including drastic implications for our treatment of nonhuman entities.

1992

After retiring from administration at UAB, he was named University Professor and in 1992, the second Ireland Scholar.

Over the course of his career, Rachels wrote 6 books and 85 essays, edited 7 books, and gave some 275 professional lectures.

He argued for moral vegetarianism and animal rights, affirmative action, euthanasia, and the idea that parents should give as much fundamental moral consideration to another's children as they do to their own.

Later in his career, Rachels realized that a lifetime of analysing specific moral issues had led him to adopt the general ethic of utilitarianism, according to which actions are assessed by their effects on both human and nonhuman happiness.

1997

Can Ethics Provide Answers? (1997) was Rachels's first collection of papers.

2003

Rachels died from cancer on 5 September 2003, in Birmingham, Alabama.

Rachels' best-known work is The Elements of Moral Philosophy.

2004

His best known paper on the subject was The Basic Argument for Vegetarianism in 2004.

Rachels proposed what he called the basic argument for vegetarianism which he believed is supported by a simple principle that every decent person accepts: it is wrong to cause pain unless there is a good enough reason.

Rachels argued that the primary reason why cruelty to animals is wrong is because tortured animals suffer, just as tortured humans suffer.

He held the view that inflicting pain on animals can sometimes be justified but we must have a sufficiently good reason for doing so.

The idea to consume meat just because it tastes good does not come close to justifying the cruelty of the meat industry.

Rachels stated that "from a practical standpoint, it makes sense to focus first on the things that cause the most misery".

At the top of this list was factory farming.

According to Rachels' basic argument, abstention from factory-farmed animals is necessary as these animals suffer the most.

2005

Shortly before his death, he wrote Problems from Philosophy (2005), an introduction to philosophy.

Rachels authored papers defending moral vegetarianism.

2007

His second, The Legacy of Socrates, was published posthumously in 2007.

2009

It went to its sixth edition in 2009, having been revised by Rachels' son, Stuart Rachels.

Among the subjects covered are ethical and simple subjectivism, emotivism, as well as ethical and psychological egoism.

The text uses real-world examples to highlight points regarding complicated philosophical principles.

Rachels had a history of using such examples.