Ethics : Theory and Practice

by Thiroux, Jacques P.

• ISBN13: 9780130314086
• ISBN10: 0130314080
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

For freshman/sophomore-level courses in Introduction to Ethics. Using a clear, jargon-free style and a flexible organization, this text introduces students with little or no background in philosophy or ethics to traditional and contemporary ethical theory. An abundance of examples and case studies illustrates for students how to set up their own systematic, rational ethics and how to apply ethical theories to traditional and contemporary moral issues.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
What Is Morality?	1	(34)
Objectives	1	(1)
What Is Philosophy and Ethics' Relationship to It?	2	(1)
Key Terms	2	(4)
Approaches to the Study of Morality	6	(2)
Morality and Its Applications	8	(5)
Where Does Morality Come From?	13	(4)
Customary or Traditional and Reflective Morality	17	(1)
Morality, Law, and Religion	18	(6)
Why Should Human Beings Be Moral?	24	(4)
Chapter Summary	28	(3)
Exercises for Review	31	(1)
Discussion Questions	32	(1)
Notes	33	(1)
Supplementary Reading	33	(2)
Consequentialist (Teleological) Theories of Morality	35	(20)
Objectives	35	(1)
Psychological Egoism	36	(2)
Ethical Egoism	38	(5)
Utilitarianism	43	(5)
Difficulty with Consequentialist Theories in General	48	(1)
Chapter Summary	49	(2)
Exercises for Review	51	(1)
Discussion Questions	52	(1)
Notes	53	(1)
Supplementary Reading	53	(2)
Nonconsequentiatist (Deontological) Theories of Morality and Virtue Ethics	55	(28)
Objectives	55	(1)
Act Nonconsequentialist Theories	56	(3)
Rule Nonconsequentialist Theories	59	(7)
General Criticisms of Nonconsequentialist Theories	66	(2)
Virtue Ethics	68	(6)
Conclusions	74	(1)
Chapter Summary	74	(4)
Exercises for Review	78	(1)
Discussion Questions	79	(2)
Notes	81	(1)
Supplementary Reading	81	(2)
Absolutism versus Relativism	83	(18)
Objectives	83	(1)
The Meanings of Absolute	84	(1)
The Meanings of Relative	85	(1)
Cultural Relativism and Cultural Absolutism	85	(2)
Propositions and Truth	87	(7)
Conclusion	94	(2)
Chapter Summary	96	(1)
Exercises for Review	97	(1)
Discussion Questions	98	(1)
Notes	99	(1)
Supplementary Reading	99	(2)
Freedom versus Determinism	101	(20)
Objectives	101	(1)
The Meaning of Determinism	102	(1)
Types and Theories of Determinism	102	(6)
Fatalism and Hard and Soft Determinism	108	(2)
Indeterminism	110	(1)
Criticisms of Hard Determinism and Arguments for Freedom	111	(3)
Conclusion: Soft Determinism	114	(1)
Chapter Summary	115	(3)
Exercises for Review	118	(1)
Discussion Questions	118	(1)
Notes	119	(1)
Supplementary Reading	119	(2)
Reward and Punishment	121	(32)
Objectives	121	(1)
Definition of Key Terms	122	(1)
Reward and Punishment in Relationship to Justice	122	(1)
Elements of Justice	123	(1)
Reward	124	(6)
Theories of How to Reward	130	(1)
Punishment	131	(2)
Theories of Punishment	133	(10)
Is a Synthesis Possible?	143	(2)
Chapter Summary	145	(5)
Exercises for Review	150	(1)
Discussion Questions	150	(1)
Notes	151	(1)
Supplementary Reading	151	(2)
Setting Up a Moral System: Basic Assumptions and Basic Principles	153	(28)
Objectives	153	(1)
Conflicting General Moral Issues	154	(1)
Basic Assumptions	155	(5)
Basic Principles, Individual Freedom, and Their Justification	160	(10)
Priority of the Basic Principles	170	(1)
A General Way of Determining Priority--Two Categories	170	(4)
How the System of Humanitarian Ethics Works	174	(1)
Conclusion	175	(2)
Chapter Summary	177	(1)
Exercises for Review	178	(1)
Discussion Questions	179	(1)
Note	179	(1)
Supplementary Reading	179	(2)
The Taking of Human Life	181	(32)
Objectives	181	(1)
The Taking of Human Life	182	(1)
Suicide	182	(3)
Cases for Study and Discussion	185	(1)
Defense of the Innocent (the Self Included)	186	(1)
Cases for Study and Discussion	187	(1)
War	188	(3)
Terrorism	191	(1)
Cases for Study and Discussion	192	(1)
Capital Punishment	193	(5)
Cases for Study and Discussion	198	(1)
Chapter Summary	199	(3)
Exercises for Review	202	(1)
Views of Major Ethical Theories on the Taking of Human Life	203	(1)
Suicide	203	(2)
Defense of the Innocent	205	(1)
War and Terrorism	206	(2)
Capital Punishment	208	(2)
Reader Reactions	210	(1)
Notes	210	(1)
Supplementary Reading	210	(3)
Allowing Someone to Die, Mercy Death, and Mercy Killing	213	(56)
Objectives	213	(1)
Definition of Terms	214	(1)
Current Legal Status of Mercy Death and Mercy Killing	215	(2)
Allowing Someone to Die	217	(28)
Cases for Study and Discussion	245	(2)
Mercy Death	247	(8)
Cases for Study and Discussion	255	(1)
Mercy Killing	256	(3)
Cases for Study and Discussion	259	(2)
Chapter Summary	261	(4)
Exercises for Review	265	(1)
Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Allowing Someone to Die, Mercy Death, and Mercy Killing	266	(1)
Notes	266	(1)
Supplementary Reading	267	(2)
Abortion	269	(26)
Objectives	269	(1)
Introduction to the Abortion Issue	270	(3)
When Does Human Life Begin?	273	(2)
Arguments Against Abortion	275	(4)
Arguments for Abortion	279	(4)
The More Moderate Positions on Abortion	283	(4)
Cases for Study and Discussion	287	(1)
Chapter Summary	288	(3)
Exercises for Review	291	(1)
Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Abortion	292	(1)
Notes	292	(1)
Supplementary Reading	293	(2)
Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing	295	(34)
Objectives	295	(1)
Introduction	296	(1)
Definitions of Key Terms	296	(1)
Nonconsequentialist and Consequentialist Views	297	(2)
Lying	299	(7)
Cases for Study and Discussion	306	(1)
Cheating	307	(3)
Cases for Study and Discussion	310	(1)
Breaking Promises	311	(5)
Cases for Study and Discussion	316	(1)
Stealing	317	(4)
Cases for Study and Discussion	321	(1)
Chapter Summary	322	(3)
Exercises for Review	325	(1)
Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing	326	(1)
Notes	326	(1)
Supplementary Reading	327	(2)
Morality, Marriage, and Human Sexuality	329	(33)
Objectives	329	(1)
Major Aspects of Human Sexuality	330	(1)
The Meaning and Purposes of Human Sexuality	330	(5)
Premarital Sex	335
Sex in Marriage-Type Relationships (Including Nonlegal)	333	(13)
Masturbation	346	(1)
Pornography	347	(2)
Prostitution	349	(1)
Sexual Perversion or ``Unnatural'' Sexual Activity	350	(1)
Cases for Study and Discussion	351	(1)
Chapter Summary	352	(6)
Exercises for Review	358	(1)
Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Morality, Human Sexuality, and Marriage	359	(1)
Notes	359	(1)
Supplemetary Reading	359	(3)
Bioethics-Ethical Issues in Medicine	362	(32)
Objectives	362	(1)
Introduction and Definition of Terms	363	(1)
Health Care Professionals and Patients and Their Families--Rights and Obligations	363	(5)
Truth Telling and Informed Consent	368	(5)
Confidentiality	373	(1)
Guilt and Innocence in Treating Patients	374	(1)
Ethical Issues in Medicine	375	(5)
Cases for Study and Discussion	380	(2)
Chapter Summary	382	(7)
Exercises for Review	389	(1)
Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Bioethical Issues	390	(1)
Notes	390	(1)
Supplementary Reading	391	(3)
Business and Media Ethics	394	(32)
Objectives	394	(1)
Introduction	395	(1)
Rights and Obligations in Business	395	(1)
Two Ways of Approaching Rights and Obligations in Business	396	(2)
The Moderate Position	398	(1)
Justice, Truth Telling, and Honesty in Business	399	(1)
Ethical Issues in Business	400	(6)
Sexual Harassment	406	(3)
Media Ethics	409	(4)
Cases for Study and Discussion	413	(4)
Chapter Summary	417	(6)
Exercises for Review	423	(1)
Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Business and Media Ethics	424	(1)
Notes	424	(1)
Supplementary Reading	424	(2)
Environmental Ethics	426	(29)
Objectives	426	(1)
Key Terms	427	(1)
Nature and Morality	427	(1)
Environmental Ethical Issues	428	(2)
Our Attitude Toward Nature and What Lies Behind it	430	(3)
Arguments for Use and Exploitation of the Natural Environment	433	(1)
Arguments Against the Use and Exploitation of Nature	434	(2)
Moderate Position	436	(1)
Criteria for Animal Rights	436
Ways of Dealing with Animal Rights	429	(9)
Use of Animals for Food	438	(2)
Use of Animals for Experimentation	440	(1)
Killing Animals for Sport	441	(3)
Protection of Endangered Species	444	(1)
Conclusion	444	(1)
Cases for Study and Discussion	445	(2)
Chapter Summary	447	(5)
Exercises for Review	452	(1)
Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Environmental Ethics	452	(1)
Notes	453
Supplementary Reading	443	(12)
Appendixes	455	(67)
Introduction	455	(1)
Appendix 1: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of the Taking of Human Life	456	(11)
Appendix 2: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of Allowing Someone to Die, Mercy Death, and Mercy Killing	467	(9)
Appendix 3: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of Abortion	476	(11)
Appendix 4: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing	487	(9)
Appendix 5: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of Human Sexuality	496	(6)
Appendix 6: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to Moral Problems in Medicine (Bioethics)	502	(48)
Appendix 7: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to Moral Problems in Business (Business and Media Ethics)	550
Appendix 8: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to Environmental Ethics	517	(5)
Glossary	522	(11)
Index	533