Synopses & Reviews
A Practical Companion to Ethics is an accessibly written, concise introduction to the basic attitudes and skills that make ethics work, like thinking for oneself, creative and integrative problem-solving, and keeping an open mind. This unique volume illuminates the broad kinds of practical intelligence required in moral judgment, complementing the narrower theoretical considerations that often dominate ethics courses. It offers practical instruction in problem-solving by demonstrating how to frame an ethical problem and deal effectively with ethical disagreements. This book also addresses issues of the heart--the call to responsiveness and care that underlies formal ethical theories.
Appendices offer students advice about writing papers and offer instructors a range of creative and participatory ways to teach ethics. The optimistic tone and brisk pace of the narrative provide an entertaining and intelligent guide to "everyday" morality. This highly practical volume is ideal for courses in introductory ethics, with applications in any course related to critical thinking and applied ethics.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. GETTING STARTED
Who Needs Ethics?
Some Counterfeits
2. THINKING FOR YOURSELF
Appeals to Authority
Thinking for Yourself: A Biblical Model
The Question of Rules
3. FINDING THE BEST PROBLEM
False Dilemmas
How to Expand Your Options
How to Reframe Problems
4. WHEN VALUES CONFLICT
Polarizing Values
Can Both Sides Be Right?
Integrating Values
5. ETHICS WITH A HEART
When the Heart Closes
How the Heart Opens
The Expanding Circle
Each chapter ends with a Notes and Comments section
A Word to Students: How to Write an Ethics Paper
A Word to Teachers: Some Suggestions for Classroom Practice