Synopses & Reviews
Study ethics from one of the classic texts, written by one of contemporary philosophy?s most skilled teachers, Louis P. Pojman, and now revised by best-selling author and editor of the INTERNET ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHILOSOPHY, James Fieser. ETHICS: DISCOVERING RIGHT AND WRONG, Sixth Edition, provides you with a concise yet comprehensive overview of the fundamental objectives and outlooks of ethical theory. Written in a conversational manner with strong learning aids and numerous classical and contemporary examples, this book teaches you how to develop your own moral theories and competently reason through ethical problems for yourself. The text even-handedly raises critical questions with its non-dogmatic style and generous presentation of various positions. This edition offers more feminist as well as multicultural ethical perspectives. Initial chapters discuss general concerns about meta-ethics before presenting major moral theories. Later chapters address special topics in personal and religious ethics as well as the most recent developments in moral theory. A helpful appendix teaches how to write ethics papers, while study questions for each chapter and useful bibliographies further assist you in review and additional exploration of topics. A companion website offers additional support with essay questions and numerous interactive learning aids.
Synopsis
Study ethics from a classic ethics text, written by one of contemporary philosophy's most skilled teachers, Louis P. Pojman, now revised by best-selling author and editor of the INTERNET ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHILOSOPHY, James Fieser. ETHICS: DISCOVERING RIGHT AND WRONG, Seventh Edition, offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of the fundamental objectives and outlooks of ethical theory. Written with Pojman's hallmark engaging, conversational manner with strong supporting pedagogy, this book challenges students to develop their own moral theories and to reason through ethical problems for themselves. The text even-handedly raises critical questions and fosters independent thinking within a rigorous presentation that draws numerous examples from both classical and contemporary sources. This edition maintains the text's clarity and strengths with its non-dogmatic style and generous presentation of various positions. This revision includes more feminist and multicultural ethical perspectives.
About the Author
Louis P. Pojman (1935-2005) was Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, at the United States Military Academy and a Life Member of Clare Hall, Cambridge University. He received an M.A. and Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary/Columbia University. He was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Copenhagen and a Rockefeller Fellow at Hamburg University. He received his D.Phil. in Philosophy from Oxford University in 1997.His first position was at the University of Notre Dame, after which he taught at the University of Texas at Dallas. Later, at the University of Mississippi, he served for three years as Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion. In 1995, he became Professor of Philosophy at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He most recently was Visiting Professor at Brigham Young University in Utah and Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall, Oxford University. Pojman won several research and teaching awards, including the Burlington Northern Award for Outstanding Teaching and Scholarship (1988) and the Outstanding Scholar/Teacher in the Humanities at the University of Mississippi (1994). He wrote in the areas of philosophy of religion, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy and authored or edited more than 30 books and 100 articles. Pojman passed away in 2005.
Table of Contents
Preface. 1. WHAT IS ETHICS? Ethics and its subdivisions. Morality as compared with other normative subjects. Traits of moral principles. Domains of ethical assessment. Conclusion. 2. ETHICAL RELATIVISM. Subjective ethical relativism. Conventional ethical relativism. Criticisms of conventional ethical relativism. Conclusion. 3. MORAL OBJECTIVISM. Aquinas' objectivism and absolutism. Moderate objectivism. Ethical situationalism. Conclusion. 4. VALUE AND THE QUEST FOR THE GOOD. Intrinsic and instrumental value. The value of pleasure. Are values objective or subjective? The relation of value to morality. The good life. 5. SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY AND THE MOTIVE TO BE MORAL. Why does society need moral rules? Why should I be moral? Morality, self-interest and game theory. The motive to always be moral. Conclusion. 6. EGOISM, SELF-INTEREST, AND ALTRUISM. Psychological egoism. Ethical egoism. Arguments against ethical egoism. Evolution and altruism. Conclusion. 7. UTILITARIANISM Classic utilitarianism. Act and rule-utilitarianism. Criticism of utilitarianism. Criticism of the ends justifying immoral means. Conclusion. 8. KANT AND DEONTOLOGICAL THEORIES. Kant's influences. The categorical imperative. Counterexamples to the principle of the law of nature. Other formulations of the categorical imperative. The problem of exceptionless rules. The problem of posterity. Conclusion: a reconciliation project. 9. VIRTUE THEORY. The nature of virtue ethics. Criticisms of action-based ethics. Connections between virtue-based and action-based ethics. Feminism and the ethics of care. Conclusion. 10. GENDER AND ETHICS. Classic Views. Female Care Ethics. Four Options regarding Gender and Ethics. Conclusion. 11. RELIGION AND ETHICS. Does morality depend on religion? Is religion irrelevant or even contrary to morality? Does religion enhance the moral life? Conclusion. 12. THE FACT-VALUE PROBLEM. Hume and Moore: the problem classically stated. Ayer and emotivism. Hare and prescriptivism. Naturalism and the fact-value problem. Conclusion. 13. MORAL REALISM AND THE CHALLENGE OF SKEPTICISM. Mackie's moral skepticism. Harman's moral nihilism. A defense of moral realism. Conclusion. Appendix: How to Read and Write a Philosophy Paper. Glossary. Index.