The Elements of Moral Philosophy

by Rachels, James

Edition:

5th

ISBN13:

9780073125473

ISBN10:

0073125474

Format:

Paperback

Pub. Date:

4/24/2006

Publisher(s):

McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages

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Summary

Firmly established as the standard text for undergraduate courses in ethics, this concise, lively book combines clear explanations of the main theories of ethics with discussions of interesting examples. Topics covered include famine relief, euthanasia, homosexuality, and the treatment of animals. The text's versatility allows it to be widely used not only in ethical theory courses, but also in applied ethics courses of all kinds.

Preface

About the Fifth Edition

CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS MORALITY?

1.1. The Problem of Definition

1.2. First Example: Baby Theresa

1.3. Second Example: Jodie and Mary

1.4. Third Example: Tracy Latimer

1.5. Reason and Impartiality

1.6. The Minimum Conception of Morality

CHAPTER 2: THE CHALLENGE OF CULTURAL RELATIVISM

2.1. How Different Cultures Have Different Moral Codes

2.2. Cultural Relativism

2.3. The Cultural Differences Argument

2.4. The Consequences of Taking Cultural Relativism Seriously

The Elements of Moral Philosophy

9780073125473

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Summary

Table of Contents

Preface

About the Fifth Edition

CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS MORALITY?

1.1. The Problem of Definition

1.2. First Example: Baby Theresa

1.3. Second Example: Jodie and Mary

1.4. Third Example: Tracy Latimer

1.5. Reason and Impartiality

1.6. The Minimum Conception of Morality

CHAPTER 2: THE CHALLENGE OF CULTURAL RELATIVISM

2.1. How Different Cultures Have Different Moral Codes

2.2. Cultural Relativism

2.3. The Cultural Differences Argument

2.4. The Consequences of Taking Cultural Relativism Seriously

2.5. Why There Is Less Disagreement Than It Seems

2.6. How All Cultures Have Some Values in Common

2.7. Judging a Cultural Practice to Be Undesirable

2.8. What Can Be Learned from Cultural Relativism

2.9. Back to the Five Claims

CHAPTER 3: SUBJECTIVISM IN ETHICS

3.1. The Basic Idea of Ethical Subjectivism

3.2. The Evolution of the Theory

3.3. The First Stage: Simple Subjectivism

3.4. The Second Stage: Emotivism

3.5. Are There Any Moral Facts?

3.6. Are There Proofs in Ethics?

3.7. The Question of Homosexuality

CHAPTER 4: DOES MORALITY DEPEND ON RELIGION?

4.1. The Presumed Connection Between Morality and Religion

4.2. The Divine Command Theory

4.3. The Theory of Natural Law

4.4. Religion and Particular Moral Issues

CHAPTER 5: ETHICAL EGOISM

5.1. Is There a Duty to Help Starving People?

5.2. Psychological Egoism

5.3. Three Arguments for Ethical Egoism

5.4. Three Arguments Against Ethical Egoism

CHAPTER 6: THE UTILITARIAN APPROACH

6.1. The Revolution in Ethics

6.2. First Example: Euthanasia

6.3. Second Example: Nonhuman Animals

CHAPTER 7: THE DEBATE OVER UTILITARIANISM

7.1. The Classical Version of the Theory

7.2. Is Pleasure the Only Thing That Matters?

7.3. Are Consequences All That Matter?

7.4. Should We Be Equally Concerned for Everyone?

7.5. The Defense of Utilitarianism

CHAPTER 8: ARE THERE ABSOLUTE MORAL RULES?

8.1. Harry Truman and Elizabeth Anscombe

8.2. The Categorical Imperative

8.3. Absolute Rules and the Duty Not to Lie

8.4. Conflicts Between Rules

8.5. Another Look at Kants Basic Idea

CHAPTER 9: KANT AND RESPECT FOR PERSONS

9.1. The Idea of Human Dignity

9.2. Retribution and Utility in the Theory of Punishment

9.3. Kants Retributivism

CHAPTER 10: THE IDEA OF A SOCIAL CONTRACT

10.1. Hobbess Argument

10.2. The Prisoners Dilemma

10.3. Some Advantages of the Social Contract Theory

10.4. The Problem of Civil Disobedience

10.5. Difficulties for the Theory

CHAPTER 11: FEMINISM AND THE ETHICS OF CARE

11.1. Do Women and Men Think Differently about Ethics?

11.2. Implications for Moral Judgment

11.3. Implications for Ethical Theory

CHAPTER 12: THE ETHICS OF VIRTUE

12.1. The Ethics of Virtue and the Ethics of Right Action

12.2. The Virtues