Morality and Moral Controversies

Steven Scalet is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Baltimore (UB), where he helped launch the Program in Philosophy, Law, and Ethics. Prior to working at UB, he directed the Program in Philosophy, Politics, and Law at Binghamton University (State University of New York, SUNY), and received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Scalet received his Ph.D. in Philosophy and M.A. in Economics from the University of Arizona. Scalet is the author of Markets, Ethics, and Business Ethics, 2nd Edition (2018). John Arthur (1946–2007) was a professor of philosophy with areas of specialization in legal theory, social ethics, and political philosophy. He authored several books, including Race, Equality, and the Burdens of History (2007). He taught at Binghamton University for eighteen years.

PART I MORAL THINKING

Chapter 1 Self-Interest, Religion, and Conscience

Leviathan: Morality as Rational Advantage Thomas Hobbes

Morality and Rational Self-Interest Baruch Brody

Divine Commands and the Social Nature of Obligation Robert Merrihew Adams

Morality, Religion, and Conscience John Arthur

The Conscience of Huckleberry Finn Jonathan Bennett

Chapter 2 The Sources and Grounds of Morality

The Sources of Moral Ideas: Society, Custom, and Sympathy Edward Westermarck

Trying Out One’s New Sword Mary Midgley

Morality Is Based on Sentiment David Hume

Morality and Normativity Michael J. Perry

The Moral Instinct Steven Pinker

Chapter 3 Classical and Contemporary Theories of Morality

Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle

The Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals Immanuel Kant

Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill

Intuitionism W. D. Ross

Kant and Utilitarianism Contrasted Onora O’Neill

The Real and Alleged Problems of Utilitarianism Richard B. Brandt

The Ethics of Care as Moral Theory Virginia Held

PART II LIFE AND DEATH

Chapter 4 Terrorism and Torture

Is Terrorism Morally Distinctive? Samuel Scheffler

Torture: The Case for Dirty Harry Uwe Steinhoff

Training Torturers: A Critique of the "Ticking Bomb" Argument Jessica Wolfendale

Chapter 5 War, Autonomous Machines, and the Arms Trade

On the Morality of War Richard A. Wasserstrom

The Morality of Pacifism Cheyney Ryan

When is a Robot a Moral Agent? John P. Sullins

Autonomous Machines, Moral Judgement, and Acting for the Right Reasons Duncan Purves, Ryan Jenkins, and Bradley J. Strawser

Weapons, Security, and Oppression: A Normative Study of International Arms Transfers James Christensen

Chapter 6 Capital Punishment

The Death Penalty Gregg v. Georgia

Desert and Capital Punishment Martin Perlmutter

The Ultimate Punishment Ernest van den Haag

Abolishing the Death Penalty Even for the Worst Murderers Hugo Adam Bedau

Justice, Civilization, and the Death Penalty Jeffrey H. Reiman

Chapter 7 Animals, Environmentalism, and Climate

All Animals Are Equal Peter Singer

Speciesism and the Idea of Equality Bonnie Steinbock

People or Penguins William F. Baxter

The Land Ethic: Animal Liberation and Environmentalism J. Baird Callicott

Two Kinds of Climate Justice: Avoiding Harm and Sharing Burdens Simon Caney

Chapter 8 Cloning and Abortion

The Ethics of Cloning-to-Produce-Children The President’s Council on Bioethics

The Constitutional Right to Abortion Roe v. Wade

A Defense of Abortion Judith Jarvis Thomson

On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion Mary Anne Warren

Abortion and the Concept of a Person Jane English

An Argument That Abortion Is Wrong Don Marquis

Fathers and Fetuses George W. Harris

Chapter 9 Health Care and Deciding Who Should Live

The Medical Minimum: Zero Jan Narveson

A Right to Health Care Pavlos Eleftheriadis

Requiring Medical Treatment JFK Memorial Hospital v. Heston

Death With Dignity Act Gonzales v. Oregon

Aging and the Ends of Medicine Daniel Callahan

The Survival Lottery John Harris

PART III PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Chapter 10 Love and Sex

Duties Toward the Body in Respect to Sexual Impulse Immanuel Kant

Plain Sex Alan H. Goldman

Gay Basics: Some Questions, Facts, and Values Richard D. Mohr

What is the Point of Love? Carolyn Price

Chapter 11 Family and Friendship

Is Adultery Immoral? Richard A. Wasserstrom

Licensing Parents Hugh LaFollette

Can Parents and Children Be Friends? Joseph Kupfer

Parents and Children as Friends Kristján Kristjánsson

What Do Grown Children Owe Their Parents? Jane English

Chapter 12 Personal Dimensions of Technology: Friendships, Self-Driving Cars, and Privacy

Is Google Making Us Stupid? Nicholas Carr

Friendship in the Shadow of Technology Laurence Thomas

Social Networking Sites and Our Lives Pew Internet and American Life Project

Why Ethics Matters for Autonomous Cars Patrick Lin

Technology and New Challenges for Privacy Leslie P. Francis

The Benefits of Being Watched Andrew Oberg

Privacy, Neuroscience and Neuro-Surveillance Adam D. Moore

PART IV POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Chapter 13 The Ideal State

The Second Treatise of Government John Locke

Libertarian Justice Tibor R. Machan

On Liberty John Stuart Mill

On Representative Government John Stuart Mill

A Theory of Justice John Rawls

Chapter 14 Protests, Patriotism, and the Rule of Law

Flag Burning as Constitutionally Protected Texas v. Johnson

Is Patriotism a Virtue? Alasdair MacIntyre

Patriotism as Bad Faith Simon Keller

Frederick Douglass’s Patriotism Bernard Boxill

Letter from a Birmingham Jail Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Crito Plato

Legitimate and Illegitimate Uses of Police Force John Kleinig

Chapter 15 Democracy: Foundations, Recent Contributions, and Global Challenges

Gettysburg Address Abraham Lincoln

What Justifies Democracy and Rule Over None II: Social Equality and the Justification of Democracy Niko Kolodny

Are Charter Cities Legitimate Rahul Sagar

Political Morality and the Authority of Tradition Steven Wall

Transnational Legal Sites and Democracy-Building Seyla Benhabib

Social Movements Avery Kolers

Chapter 16 Liberty: Free Speech and Drug Use

Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion John Stuart Mill

Power in Public: Reactions, Responses, and Resistance to Offensive Public Speech Laura Beth Nielsen

The Social Benefits of Protecting Hate Speech and Exposing Sources of Prejudice Marcus Schulzke

Organized Protests and Free Speech Snyder v Phelps (Westboro Baptist Church)

Nazi Marches Village of Skokie v. National Socialist Party

Do Corporations Have Freedom of Speech? Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

The Ethics of Smoking Robert E. Goodin

Addiction and Drug Policy Daniel Shapiro

The Ethics of Addiction: An Argument in Favor of Letting Americans Take Any Drug They Want Thomas Szasz

Chapter 17 Economic Justice: Markets and Property

Of Justice David Hume

The Entitlement Theory Robert Nozick

Inequality and Other Problems with Nozick’s Libertarianism John Rawls

Money and Commodities Michael Walzer

Property Rights and Eminent Domain Kelo v. City of New London

The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits Milton Friedman

Rethinking the Social Responsibility of Business: A Debate John Mackey and Milton Friedman

Chapter 18 Race, Gender, and Affirmative Action

Separate But Equal? Brown v. Board of Education

Rethinking the Problem of the Ghetto Tommie Shelby

Affirmative Action in Higher Education Grutter v. Bollinger

Affirmative Action in Higher Education Gratz v. Bollinger

Reverse Discrimination James Rachels

The Subjection of Women John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor

Sexual Equality and Discrimination: Difference vs. Dominance Will Kymlicka

Social Movements and the Politics of Difference Iris Marion Young

Freedom, Conditioning, and the Real Woman Janet Radcliffe Richards

Chapter 19 Immigration, National Boundaries, and Multiculturalism

The Ethics of Immigration Joseph H. Carens

Immigration and Democratic Principles: On Carens' Ethics of Immigration Sarah Song

Immigration and Freedom of Association Christopher Heath Wellman

Multiculturalism: A Liberal Perspective Joseph Raz

Reason Before Identity Amartya Sen

Assimilation and Cultural Identity Wisconsin v. Yoder

Appendix: The Bill of Rights and Fourteenth Amendment