How Should We Live? An Introduction to Ethics

by Pojman, Louis P.

• ISBN13: 9780534556570
• ISBN10: 0534556574
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-03
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

Explore central questions in moral philosophy with HOW SHOULD WE LIVE? With a focus on the question of why or how we should be moral in a time plagued by relativism, this philosophy text covers the three most seminal ethical theories: utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue-based ethics. End of chapter discussion questions and bibliography assist you in contemplating the most central issues encountered in the text and in pursuing additional research.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
A Word to the Student: Why Study Ethics?	xiv
Why Do We Need Morality?	1	(18)
A Reflection on Lord of the Flies	1	(3)
Why Do We Need Morality?	4	(2)
A Hobbesian Account	4	(2)
The Purposes of Morality	6	(3)
The Nature of Moral Principles	9	(3)
Prescriptivity	10	(1)
Universalizability	10	(1)
Overridingness	10	(1)
Publicity	11	(1)
Practicability	11	(1)
Conclusion	12	(1)
For Further Reflection	13	(3)
For Further Reading	16	(1)
Notes	17	(2)
Why Should I Be Moral? Is the Good Good For You?	19	(28)
The Egoist and the Altruist	19	(5)
The Religious Answer	20	(1)
The Socratic Answer	21	(1)
The Existentialist Answer	22	(1)
The Rationalist Split-Level Answer	22	(2)
The Ayn Rand Argument for the Virtue of Selfishness	24	(5)
The Paradox of Egoism	29	(1)
The Prisoner's Dilemma	30	(6)
The Quasi Moralist	36	(2)
Evolution and Altruism: The Parable of the Birds	38	(3)
Conclusion	41	(1)
For Further Reflection	42	(1)
For Further Reading	43	(1)
Notes	44	(3)
Who's to Judge? Ethical Relativism	47	(18)
The Diversity of Morals	47	(2)
An Analysis of Relativism	49	(3)
The Diversity Thesis	50	(1)
The Dependency Thesis	50	(2)
Subjective Ethical Relativism (Subjectivism)	52	(2)
Conventional Ethical Relativism (Conventionalism)	54	(5)
An Assessment of Ethical Relativism	59	(3)
Conclusion	62	(1)
For Further Reflection	62	(1)
For Further Reading	63	(1)
Notes	64	(1)
The Case for Ethical Objectivism	65	(24)
Twenty Moral Questions	65	(4)
Natural Law	69	(7)
Moderate Objectivism	76	(10)
The Core Morality	77	(9)
Conclusion	86	(1)
For Further Reflection	87	(1)
For Further Reading	87	(1)
Notes	88	(1)
Religion and Ethics	89	(18)
Thesis 1. Religion Is Irrelevant for Ethics	90	(3)
Thesis 2. Religion Is Necessary for Ethics: The Divine Command Theory	93	(5)
Thesis 3. Religion Can Enhance Morality	98	(5)
If God Exists, Then Good Will Win Out over Evil	99	(1)
If God Exists, Then Cosmic Justice Reigns in the Universe	99	(1)
If Theism Is True, Then Moral Reasons Always Override Nonmoral Reasons	100	(1)
If Theism Is True, Then God Loves and Cares for Us---His Love Inspires Us	100	(1)
If God Created Us in His Image, Then All Persons Are of Equal Worth	101	(1)
Religious Faith Has Inspired Some of the Most Altruistic Behavior the World Has Ever Seen	101	(2)
Conclusion	103	(1)
For Further Reflection	103	(1)
For Further Reading	104	(1)
Notes	105	(2)
Utilitarianism	107	(30)
Some Thought Experiments	107	(4)
What Is Utilitarianism?	111	(4)
Two Types of Utilitarianism	115	(5)
The Strengths and Weaknesses of Utilitarianism	120	(2)
Problems in Formulating Utilitarianism	120	(1)
The Problem of Knowing the Comparative Consequences of Actions	121	(1)
External Criticisms of Utilitarianism	122	(4)
Problem 1: The No-Rest Objection	123	(1)
Problem 2: The Absurd-Implications Objection	123	(1)
Problem 3: The Integrity Objection	124	(1)
Problem 4: The Justice Objection	125	(1)
Problem 5: The Publicity Objection	125	(1)
Utilitarian Responses to Standard Objections	126	(5)
A General Defense	126	(1)
Response to Problem 1: The No-Rest Objection	127	(1)
Response to Problem 2: The Absurd-Implications Objection	127	(1)
Response to Problem 3: The Integrity Objection	128	(1)
Response to Problem 4: The Justice Objection	128	(2)
Response to Problem 5: The Publicity Objection	130	(1)
Conclusion	131	(1)
For Further Reflection	132	(2)
For Further Reading	134	(1)
Notes	135	(2)
Deontological Ethics: Intuitionism and Kantian Ethics	137	(28)
Act-Deontological Theories	138	(1)
Rule-Deontological Theories	139	(3)
Kant's Rule-Deontological System	142	(15)
The Categorical Imperative	143	(6)
An Analysis of the First Formulation of Kant's Categorical Imperative	149	(5)
Kant's Second Formulation of the Categorical Imperative: Respect for Persons	154	(2)
Kant's Third Formulation of the Categorical Imperative: The Principle of Autonomy	156	(1)
An Assessment of Kant's System	157	(1)
A Reconciliation Project	157	(2)
For Further Reflection	159	(2)
For Further Reading	161	(1)
Notes	162	(3)
Virtue-Based Ethical Theory	165	(28)
Aretaic Ethics	166	(3)
The Aretaic Critique of Action-Based Ethics	169	(3)
Action-Based Ethics Lack a Motivational Component	169	(1)
Action-Based Ethics Often Ignore the Spiritual Dimension of Ethics	170	(2)
Aristotle's Virtue Ethics	172	(2)
What Is the Relationship between Virtue and Principles?	174	(10)
Pure Aretaic Ethics	175	(2)
The Standard Deontic View: The Correspondence Thesis	177	(4)
Complementarity (Pluralistic) Ethics	181	(3)
Feminism and the Ethics of Care	184	(2)
Care and Particularism	186	(1)
Conclusion	187	(1)
For Further Reflection	188	(1)
For Further Reading	189	(1)
Notes	190	(3)
Human Rights	193	(16)
Seba's Story	193	(2)
The Moral Basis of Human Rights	195	(2)
What Are Rights?	197	(1)
Universal Basic Rights	198	(2)
Kant's Thesis: Institutions Are Vehicles for Moral Progress	200	(2)
The Limits of Rights	202	(3)
Conclusion	205	(1)
For Further Reflection	205	(1)
For Further Reading	206	(1)
Notes	207	(2)
Conclusion: How Should We Live?	209	(4)
Glossary	213	(7)
Index	220