Consider Ethics

*Selections new to this Edition are indicated with an asterisk


 

1. Thinking About Ethics.

            Ethics and Critical Thinking.

            Studying Ethics.

            God's Commandments and Ethics.

            Religion and Ethics.

            Reading: Plato, Euthyphro.

            Exercises

2. Ethics and Reason.

            Reasoning about Ethics.

            Elements of Kantian Ethics.

            Criticisms of Kantian Ethics.

            Conclusion.

            Reading: Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals.

            Exercises

3. Ethics and Emotions.

            Follow Your Reason or Follow Your Heart?

            Objective and Subjective Feelings.

            Intuitionism.

            Conclusion.

            Reading: Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature.

            Exercises

4. Utilitarian Ethics.

            Utilitarian Theory.

            Act- vs. Rule-Utilitarians.

            Utiliatarians and the Quality of Pleasures.

            Criticisms of Utilitarian Ethics.

            Nozick’s Challenge to Utilitarian Ethics

            The Uses of Utilitarian Ethics.

            Opposition to Utilitarianism.

            Reading: Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.

            Reading: Mill, What Utilitarianism Is.*
            Exercises


5. Social Contract Ethics.

            Framing the Social Contract.

            Fairness and Social Contract Theory: John Rawls.

            Gauthier's Contractarian Ethics.

            The Social Contract Myth and its Underlying Assumptions.

            Conclusion.

            Reading: Hobbes, Leviathan.

            Exercises

6. Egoism, Relativism, and Pragmatism.

            Egoism.

            Relativism.

            Pragmatism.

            Readings: Rorty, Philosophy and Social Hope.

            Exercises

7. Virtue Ethics.

            The Distinctive Focus of Virtue Ethics.

            The Strengths of Virtue Ethics.

            Criticisms of Virtue Theory.

            Virtue Theory and Medicine.

            Reading: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics.

            Exercises

8. Care Ethics.

            The Neglect of Women's Ethical Views.

            The Care Perspectives on Ethics.

            Women and Ethics.

            Reading: Baier, The Need for More than Justice.

            Exercises

9. The Scope of Morality.

            Who is Due Moral Consideration?

            Moral Agents.

            Darwin and the Moral Status of Nonhuman Animals.

            Reading: Darwin, The Descent of Man.

            Reading: Frans de Waal, Primates and Philosophers.*

            Exercises


10. Ethical NonObjectivism.

            The Nature of Ethical Nonobjectivism.

            Arguments for Ethical Nonobjectivism.

            The Continuing Struggle Between Objectivists and Nonobjectivists.

            Reading: Ayer, Language, Truth, and Logic.

            Exercises

11. Moral Realism.

            Contemporary Moral Realism.

            Moral Realism and the Argument from Simplicity.

            Moral Facts and Scientific Revolutions.

            Two Ways that Moral Realism Might Fail.

            Reading: Smith, Realism.

            Exercises

12. How Hard is Ethics?

            The Demands of Ethical Living.

            Comparing Ethical Systems on the Basis of Difficulty.

            Duty and Feelings.

            Reading: Mencius, Book of Mencius.

            Exercises

13. Free Will.

            Determinism.

            Fatalism.

            Determinism and Free Will.

            Libertarian Free Will and the Rejection of Determinism.

            Reading: Wolf, Asymmetrical Freedom.

            Exercises

14. Freedom, Moral Responsibility, and Ethics.

            Types of Responsibility.

            Moral Responsibility and the Utility of Punishment.

            Conditions for Moral Responsibility.

            Moral Responsibility and Ethics.

            Conclusion.

            Reading: Nagel, Moral Luck.

            Exercises.

 

15.  The Death Penalty.

            The Death Penalty Should Be Abolished — Stephen Bright*

            The Death Penalty is Morally Legitimate — Louis Pojman*

            Exercises*

 

16.  Abortion

            Abortion is Immoral — Don Marquis*

            Most Abortions Are Morally Legitimate — Bonnie Steinbock*

 

17:  Animal Rights

            Nonhuman animals have no basic rights — Richard Posner*


            Nonhuman Animals Have Important rights — Peter Singer*                                          


            Exercises*

 

18:  Homosexual Sex                                                                                                         

            Homosexual sex is wrong -- John Finnis*                                                                   

            Homosexual relations are morally legitimate -- John Corvino*                                     

            Exercises*

 

19:  What Are Our Global Obligations to the Impoverished?

            We have a limited moral obligation to help impoverished people in other countries -- Thomas Nagel*


            We have a very strong moral obligation to help impoverished people in other countries -- Thomas Pogge*   


            Exercises*

 

20:  Can Terrorism Ever Be Justified?                                                                            

            Terrorism is always wrong -- Tony Coady*                                                       


            Terrorism might sometimes be justified -- Gabriel Palmer-Fernandez*                      


            Exercises*

 

Glossary

                

Credits                                                                                                                                

Index