Ethical Choices An Introduction to Moral Philosophy with Cases

by Burnor, Richard; Raley, Yvonne

• ISBN13: 9780195332957
• ISBN10: 0195332954
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-08-09
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Ideal for students with little or no background in philosophy, Ethical Choices: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy with Cases provides a concise, balanced, and highly accessible introduction to ethics. Featuring an especially lucid and engaging writing style, the text surveys a wide range of ethical theories and perspectives including consequentialist ethics, deontological ethics, natural and virtue ethics, the ethics of care, and ethics and religion. Each chapter of Ethical Choices also includes compelling case studies that are carefully matched with the theoretical material. Many of these cases address issues that students can relate directly to their own lives: the drinking age, student credit card debt, zero tolerance policies, grade inflation, and video games. Other cases discuss current topics like living wills, obesity, human trafficking, torture "lite," universal health care, and just-war theory. The cases provide students with practice in addressing real-life moral choices, as well as opportunities to evaluate the usefulness and applicability of each ethical theory. Every case study concludes with a set of Thought Questions to guide students as they reflect upon the issues raised by that case. Ethical Choices is enhanced by several pedagogical features. These include summaries at the end of each section, lists of key terms, questions For Reflection and Discussion at the end of each chapter, Guidelines for a Case Study Analysis, and suggestions For Further Reading that include Internet sources. Starred sections indicate more advanced material that may be included at the instructor's discretion. A companion website at www.oup.com/us/burnor contains additional resources for both students and instructors: chapter outlines, flashcards of key terms, sets of Helpful Hints to further aid students in mastering the material, and an additional chapter on our Moral Obligations Towards the Future.

Author Biography

Richard Burnor is Professor of Philosophy at Felician College. Dr. Burnor has also published articles in the philosophy of science, metaphysics, and teaching philosophy.

Yvonne Raley is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Felician College, and has published articles in metaphysics and ethics.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Instructor	p. xiii
Guidelines for a Case Study Analysis	p. xix
Introduction: On the Practical Importance of Ethics	p. xxi
Introducing Ethics	p. 1
The Nature of Morality	p. 3
What Is Ethics?	p. 3
Moral Claims	p. 6
Nonmoral Normative Claims	p. 8
Characterizing Moral Claims	p. 10
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 12
The Real Price of Coffee	p. 13
Jurassic Kitty: Should I Clone My Cat?	p. 15
Moral and Nonmoral Values	p. 17
The Role of Values	p. 17
Fundamental and Instrumental Values	p. 19
Explanation and Fundamental Values	p. 21
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 24
Values Exercise	p. 25
Mr. Research	p. 26
Sex Selection	p. 27
Personal Autonomy and Moral Agency	p. 30
Introduction	p. 30
Personal Autonomy	p. 31
Exercising Moral Agency	p. 35
Value-Free and Value-Guided Autonomy**	p. 39
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 42
Elizabeth Bouvia	p. 43
Should the Drinking Age Be Eighteen?	p. 45
The Living Will	p. 46
Buy Now, Pay Later: Student Credit Card Debt	p. 49
Moral Relativism	p. 52
Introduction	p. 52
The Claims of Moral Relativism	p. 53
Evaluating Subjectivism	p. 55
Considerations in Support of Popular Relativism	p. 57
Arguments Against Relativism	p. 60
A Matter of Tolerance	p. 64
Can Moral Relativism Supply Something That Objectivism Cannot?**	p. 66
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 67
Female Genital Mutilation	p. 68
Religious Exemption and the Death of Matthew Swan	p. 70
Women in the Middle East	p. 72
Moral Reasoning and Ethical Theories	p. 74
Introduction	p. 74
Moral Reasoning, Principles, and Judgments	p. 74
Fundamental Moral Principles	p. 77
Ethical Theories and Their Assessment	p. 80
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 84
Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner	p. 85
Who's Responsible for Obesity?	p. 86
A Survey of Ethical Theories and Perspectives	p. 91
Consequentialist Ethics: Egoism	p. 93
Introduction	p. 93
Hedonism and Consequentialism	p. 95
Utility and Mill's Account of Qualities	p. 97
Ethical Egoism	p. 100
Psychological Egoism**	p. 103
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 106
Human Trafficking	p. 107
Sponsoring a Child	p. 109
Consequentialist Ethics: Act Utilitarianism	p. 110
Introduction	p. 110
The Theory of Act Utilitarianism	p. 111
Considerations Supporting Act Utilitarianism	p. 114
Problems with Act Utilitarianism	p. 115
Beyond Classical Utilitarianism**	p. 120
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 122
Should Your Next Car Be a Hybrid?	p. 124
Factory Farming and the Suffering of Animals	p. 125
Torture Lite	p. 127
Consequentialist Ethics: Rule Utilitarianism	p. 129
Introduction	p. 129
Rule Utilitarianism	p. 130
Comparing Rule Utilitarianism and Act Utilitarianism	p. 131
Problems with Rule Utilitarianism	p. 134
The Issue of Justice**	p. 138
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 140
Zero-Tolerance Policies and Student Misconduct	p. 141
Curbing Grade Inflation	p. 143
Global Warming and Oil	p. 144
Stem Cells and Parkinson's Disease	p. 146
Universal Health Care	p. 149
Deontological Ethics	p. 151
Introduction	p. 151
Ross's Ethics	p. 153
Kant's Theory-The Good Will	p. 156
Kant's Categorical Imperative: Principle of Ends	p. 159
Kant's Categorical Imperative: Principle of Universal Law	p. 162
Kant's Categorical Imperative: Principle of Autonomy**	p. 166
Criticisms of Kantian Ethics	p. 167
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 171
A Demanding Honor Code	p. 172
The Ayala Case	p. 174
Internet Bride-Straight from Asia	p. 175
A Personal Decision	p. 177
Beefy Burgers and a Lean Future	p. 179
Natural Ethics: Natural Law and Natural Rights	p. 181
Introduction	p. 181
Natural Law Theory	p. 181
Addressing Moral Conflicts	p. 184
Some Problems for Natural Law Theory	p. 189
Natural Rights	p. 192
Some Distinctions**	p. 194
Some Concerns with Rights	p. 198
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 201
Relieving Pain in a Dying Patient	p. 202
Birth Control	p. 203
Locke and Load: Lockean Rights and Gun Control	p. 205
Just-War Theory and the Killing of Noncombatants	p. 208
Permanent Vegetative State: The Case of Terri Schiavo	p. 211
Virtue Ethics	p. 214
Introduction	p. 214
A Critique of Principle-Based Ethics	p. 215
The Heart of Virtue Ethics	p. 218
Aristotle's Virtue Ethics	p. 221
Classifying the Virtues**	p. 224
Criticisms of Virtue Ethics	p. 227
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 231
Video Games	p. 232
Compulsive Gambling and the Internet	p. 234
The Unlikely Rescue	p. 236
Moral Luck	p. 237
The Ethics of Care	p. 240
Introduction	p. 240
The Development of Care Ethics	p. 241
Foundations for an Ethics of Care	p. 246
Care Theory and Virtue Ethics	p. 250
A Blueprint for Reform	p. 251
Objections and Problems	p. 253
A Concluding Reflection	p. 257
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 257
Parent Responsibility Toward Their In Utero Child	p. 258
The Nestlé Boycott	p. 260
Absolute Poverty	p. 261
Ethics and Religion	p. 263
Introduction	p. 263
The Autonomy Thesis and Religion**	p. 265
Divine Command Theory	p. 268
An Alternate Dependency Account	p. 269
Objections and Elaborations**	p. 272
The Alternate Dependency Account and Completeness**	p. 276
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 277
Religious Symbols and Public Schools	p. 277
By Divine Command?	p. 279
A Question of Authority	p. 280
Ethics and Practice	p. 283
In Search of a Comprehensive Ethical Account	p. 283
The Practical Dimension: Making Moral Choices	p. 286
For Reflection and Discussion	p. 290
Surfer, Sailor, Whistle Blower	p. 291
Index	p. 293
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