Ethics : The Basics

by Mizzoni, John

• ISBN13: 9781405189934
• ISBN10: 1405189932
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-09-08
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Ethics: The Basics provides beginning students with a solid grounding in basic ethical principles, theories and traditions, as well as a set of conceptual tools necessary to think about ethics and make ethical decisions. Introduces ethical concepts, theories, and traditions in an unusually reader-friendly manner Provides beginning students with a solid grounding in basic ethical principles, as well as a set of conceptual tools necessary to think about ethics and make ethical decisions Considers western and non-western ethical viewpoints and religious interpretations of ethical concepts Includes end of chapter summaries, case studies, review questions, diagrams and an appendix containing definitions of all the ethical concepts, principles, theories, and traditions introduced in the book

Author Biography

John Mizzoni is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Neumann University in Aston, PA. He specializes in moral and environmental philosophy and has published numerous articles on metaethics, evolutionary ethics, environmental ethics, Franciscan philosophy, and teaching philosophy with music in a wide variety of scholarly journals.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Relative Ethics or Universal Ethics?	p. 8
Relative Ethics	p. 8
Universal Ethics	p. 10
Cultural Relativism or Ethical Relativism?	p. 10
Cultural Relativism and Universal Ethics	p. 11
Ethics and Human Nature	p. 12
Ethics and Human Rationality	p. 13
Relative Ethics or Universal Ethics?	p. 14
Conclusion	p. 16
Concepts, Theories, and Traditions Introduced in Chapter 1	p. 18
Review Questions	p. 18
Discussion Questions	p. 19
Virtue Ethics	p. 21
What Are Virtues?	p. 23
Aristotle, Happiness, and the Virtues	p. 25
A Developmental Model	p. 27
Universalism and Relativism Again	p. 29
Virtue Ethics: a Guide to Good Behavior	p. 32
Pros and Cons of Virtue Ethics	p. 34
Conclusion	p. 36
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Introduced in Chapter 2	p. 38
Concepts, Theories, and Traditions Reviewed in Chapter 2	p. 38
Review Questions	p. 39
Discussion Questions	p. 39
Natural Law Ethics	p. 41
What Is Natural Law and Where Does It Come From?	p. 42
The Natural Law and Universal Ethics	p. 44
Natural Law Ethics and Human Nature	p. 45
Natural Law Ethics and Virtue Ethics	p. 50
When Following the Natural Law Is Unclear: Use the Pauline Principle	p. 50
When Following the Natural Law Is Unclear: Use the Principle of Double Effect	p. 52
Conclusion	p. 55
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Introduced in Chapter 3	p. 57
Concepts, Theories, and Traditions Reviewed in Chapter 3	p. 57
Review Questions	p. 58
Discussion Questions	p. 58
Social Contract Ethics	p. 60
Continuities and Discontinuities with Natural Law Ethics	p. 61
The Principle of Self-Interest (Ethical Egoism)	p. 63
The State of Nature	p. 63
A Contract Involves Cooperation	p. 65
A Contract Involves Rationality	p. 67
Common-sense Morality (Properly Understood)	p. 69
Social Contract Ethics Applied	p. 71
Conclusion	p. 74
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Introduced in Chapter 4	p. 77
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Reviewed in Chapter 4	p. 77
Review Questions	p. 78
Discussion Questions	p. 78
Utilitarian Ethics	p. 81
Ethics Is Based on Feelings	p. 82
Is <$$$> Ought: Shorthand for Hume's Theory of Moral Sentiments	p. 85
Feelings, Utility, and Consequences	p. 87
Utility and Happiness	p. 90
Utilitarianism: Relativist or Universalist?	p. 91
Utility and Equality	p. 92
Utilitarian Applications	p. 94
Conclusion	p. 96
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Introduced in Chapter 5	p. 99
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Reviewed in Chapter 5	p. 99
Review Questions	p. 100
Discussion Questions	p. 100
Deontological Ethics	p. 103
Duty-centered Ethics	p. 105
Ethics of Freedom and Rationality	p. 106
The Main Deontological Principle: The Categorical Imperative	p. 107
One Form of the Categorical Imperative: The Principle of Autonomy	p. 110
Another Form of the Categorical Imperative: The Principle of Universality	p. 112
Duties Correlate with Rights (Usually)	p. 114
Deontology: Relativist or Universalist?	p. 117
Deontological Applications	p. 117
Conclusion	p. 121
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Introduced in Chapter 6	p. 123
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Reviewed in Chapter 6	p. 123
Review Questions	p. 124
Discussion Questions	p. 124
Care Ethics	p. 127
Ethics Is Based on Feelings	p. 129
Humans Are Relational Beings	p. 130
Ethics of Principles	p. 133
Virtue Ethics and Partiality	p. 136
Feminine Ethics	p. 137
Care Ethics: Relativist or Universalist?	p. 138
Care Ethics Applications	p. 140
Conclusion	p. 142
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Introduced in Chapter 7	p. 144
Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions Reviewed in Chapter 7	p. 144
Review Questions	p. 145
Discussion Questions	p. 146
Conclusion: Using the Tools of Ethics	p. 149
Living Ethical Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions	p. 151
Ethical Issues, Both Private and Public	p. 151
Useful Ethical Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions	p. 153
Ethical Tools Are Not Mechanical Tools	p. 156
How to Use Ethical Tools	p. 157
Pitfalls and Practice	p. 166
Wrap Up	p. 168
Review Questions	p. 169
Discussion Questions	p. 169
Ethical Concepts, Principles, Theories, and Traditions	p. 171
Ethical Principles	p. 179
Suggested Readings	p. 181
Metaethics	p. 189
Select Bibliography	p. 202
Glossary	p. 209
Index	p. 216
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