Section I The Study of Ethics

Chapter 1 Ethics: An Overview

What is Ethics?

Normative and Theoretical Ethics

Metaphysics and the Study of Human Nature

Epistemology and Moral Knowledge

READING: A.J. Ayer, "Emotivism"

Philosophy and the Search for Wisdom

READING: Plato, "Allegory of the Cave"

Chapter 2 Moral Reasoning

The Three Levels of Thinking

Moral Analysis, Praxis, and Paradigm Shifts

Overcoming Resistance

READING: P. Don Premasiri, "The Relevance of the Noble Eightfold Path to Contemporary Society"

The Role of Is and Ought Statements in Ethics

Recognizing and Constructing Moral Arguments

Avoiding Logical Fallacies

Resolving Moral Dilemmas

READING: Mary Midgley, Can't We Make Moral Judgments?

A Final Word

Section II Ethical Relativism

Chapter 3 Ethical Subjectivism: Morality Is Just a Matter of Personal Feeling

What is Ethical Subjectivism?

What Ethical Subjectivism Is Not

READING: Stephen A. Satris, "Student Relativism"

Jean-Jacques Rousseau: The Roots of Ethical Subjectivism in Romantic Sentimentalism

READING: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Émile

Mary Wollstonecraft: Critic of Rousseau's Ethical Subjectivism

The Kitty Genovese Syndrome

Critique of Ethical Subjectivism

Chapter 4 Cultural Relativism: Is Morality Dependent on Culture?

What is Cultural Relativism?

Distinguishing Between Cultural and Sociological Relativism

Social Darwinian Ethics: The Concept of Moral Progress

Ruth Benedict: Cultural Relativism as a Protest Against Social Darwinism

READING: Ruth Benedict, "Anthropology and the Abnormal"

Cultural Relativism and the Moral Community

Are Some Cultures More Moral than Others?

READING: Ibn Khaldun, The Muqaddimah

The Holocaust and Disillusionment with Cultural Relativism

Critique of Cultural Relativism

Section III Beyond Ethical Relativism

Chapter 5 Is Morality Grounded in Religion?

Religion and Morality

The Divine Command Theory

Thomas Aquinas: Natural Law Theory

READING: Thomas Aquinas, The Summa Theologica

Religion, Natural Law Theory, and Civil Disobedience

Civil Religion and Cultural Relativism

Religion and the Moral Community

God and the Problem of Evil

Does Morality Need Religion?

Chapter 6 Conscience and Moral Development

Ethics and the Study of Human Development

Conscience: Culturally Relative or Universal?

The Affective and Cognitive Sides of the Conscience

Lawrence Kohlberg: The Stage Theory of Moral Development

READING: Lawrence Kohlberg, The Philosophy of Moral Development

Carol Gilligan: The Care Perspective

READING: Carol Gilligan, In a Different Voice

James Rest: The Four Components of Moral Behavior

Moral Maturity: Moving Beyond Ethical Relativism

Section IV Morality as Universal

Chapter 7 Ethical Egoism: Morality Is Acting in Our Best Self-Interest

What is Ethical Egoism?

READING: Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan

Psychological Egoism

Ayn Rand: Objectivist Ethics and Rational Egoism

READING: Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead

Ethical Egoism and Laissez-Faire Capitalism

Ethical Egoism and the Moral Community

Self-Interest and Happiness

Critique of Ethical Egoism

Chapter 8 Utilitarianism: The Greatest Happiness Principle

Utilitarianism and the Principle of Utility

Mo Tzu: Utilitarianism as Universal Love

Jeremy Bentham: Utilitarianism and Social Reform

READING: Jeremy Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation

John Stuart Mill: Reformulation of Utilitarianism

READING: John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism and the Moral Community

Euthanasia and the Principle of Utility: Is Death Always Harm?

Critique of Utilitarianism

Chapter 9 Deontology: The Ethics of Duty

Deontology and Duty

Confucius: Duty and the Community

READING: Arthur Waley, trans., The Analects of Confucius

Immanuel Kant: The Categorical Imperative

READING: Immanuel Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Ethics

The Good Will and Proper Self-Esteem

Sissela Bok: Is the Duty Not to Lie Absolute?

W.D. Ross: Prima Facie Deontology

The Duty of Justice

Critique of Deontology

Chapter 10 Rights Ethics: The Other Side of Deontology

The Emergence of Rights Ethics in Modern Society

READING: United Nations, "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights"

Natural Rights Ethics

READING: John Locke, Two Treatises of Civil Government

The Marxist Critique of Natural Rights Ethics

Rights and Duties

Buddhism and Rights Ethics

Liberty (Negative) Rights and Welfare (Positive) Rights

Rights and the Moral Community

Critique of Rights Ethics

Chapter 11 Virtue Ethics and the Good Life

Virtue Ethics and Character

Aristotle: Reason and Virtue

READING: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics

Confucius and Aristotle: The Doctrine of the Mean

Nel Noddings and David Hume: Sentiment and Virtue

Nel Noddings, Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education

Is Virtue Relative to Culture, Social Status, and Gender?

The Unity of Virtue

Virtue and Moral Education

Critique of Virtue Ethics

Afterward

Glossary

Notes

Photo and Illustration Credits

Index