Ethics Discovering Right and Wrong

Preface. A Word to the Student: Why Study Moral Philosophy? 1. INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS ETHICS? Morality As Compared with Other Normative Subjects. Traits of Moral Principles. Domains of Ethical Assessment. Why Do We Need Morality? The Purposes of Morality. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 2. ETHICAL RELATIVISM: WHO'S TO JUDGE WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG? An Analysis of Relativism. Subjective Ethical Relativism (Subjectivism). Conventional Ethical Relativism (Conventionalism). A Critique of Ethical Relativism. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 3. THE CASE FOR MORAL OBJECTIVISM. Natural Law. Moderate Objectivism. An Explanation of the Attraction of Ethical Relativism. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 4. VALUE: THE QUEST FOR GOOD. What Types of Value Are There? What Things Are Good? Are Values Objective or Subjective? What is the Good Life? For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 5. EGOISM, SELF-INTEREST, AND ALTRUISM. An Overview of the Problem. Psychological Egoism. Ethical Egoism. A Critique of Ethical Egoism. Attempted Refutations of Egoism. Evolution and Altruism. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 6. UTILITARIANISM. What is Utilitarianism? Two Types of Utilitarianism. The Strengths and Weaknesses of Utilitarianism. External Criticisms of Utilitarianism. Utilitarian Responses to Standard Objections. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 7. KANTIAN AND DEONTOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. Two Types of Deontological Systems. Kant's Rule-Deontological System. The Categorical Imperative. Kant's Other Formulations of the Categorical Imperative. Kant's Ethics and Religion. A Reconciliation Project. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 8. VIRTUE-BASED ETHICAL SYSTEMS. The Aretaic Critique of Action-Based (Deontic) Ethical Systems. The Nature of Virtue Ethics. Types of Relationships between Virtue Ethics and Action Ethics. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 9. WHY SHOULD I BE MORAL? The Paradox of Morality and Self-Interest. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 10. RELIGION AND ETHICS. Does Morality Depend on Religion? Is Religious Ethics Essentially Different from Secular Ethics? Is Religion Irrelevant or Even Inimical to Morality? Does Religion Enhance the Moral Life? For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 11. THE FACT-VALUE PROBLEM: METAETHICS IN THE 20TH CENTURY. Nonnaturalism. Emotivism. Prescriptivism. The Renaissance of Naturalism. For Further Reflection. For Further Reading. 12. MORAL REALISM AND THE CHALLENGE OF SKEPTICISM. Mackie's Error Theory of Morality. Harman's Moral Nihilism. For Further Reading. A Concluding Reflection: Minimal Morality, Virtue Ethics, and the Development of Character. Appendix 1. An Analysis of the Modified Divine Command Theory. Appendix 2. How to Read and Write a Philosophy Paper. Glossary. Index.