How to Live Being Happy and Dealing with Moral Dilemmas

by Bagaric, Mirko

• ISBN13: 9780761835325
• ISBN10: 0761835326
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-10-02
• Publisher: UPA

Summary

This work provides clear answers to difficult moral and social issues that we face in our personal lives-that governments need to address when balancing the interests of the community. By demystifying moral discourse, How to Live provides a clear moral pathway for students of philosophy, medicine, and law, as well as the general reader. The moral framework of How to Live is developed from an interdisciplinary perspective. The culmination presents a forward-thinking theory that will maximize the success and happiness of the individual and the community within a society.

Author Biography

Mirko Bagaric is Head of Deakin Law School.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
The Moral Framework
What is Morality?	p. 3
The Nature of Morality: It is the Most Important Standard	p. 3
Morality is Objective Not Subjective	p. 4
Overview of Moral Theories	p. 8
Non-consequentialist (Rights) Theories	p. 8
Consequentialism	p. 13
The Things That Make us Happy	p. 26
Overview of the Convergence of the Human Condition	p. 26
What is Happiness?	p. 27
Why is Happiness Important	p. 28
What Makes People Happy?	p. 29
Personal Ethics
Loyalty, Friendship and Love	p. 47
Overview of our preference towards those close to us	p. 47
The Nature of Loyalty	p. 48
The Tension Between Loyalty and Morality	p. 49
The Overlap Between Morality and Loyalty	p. 51
The Limits of Loyalty	p. 55
Lying	p. 59
Introduction	p. 59
Different Types of Lies	p. 61
The Moral Status of Lies	p. 63
The Discord Between the Perception and the Reality of the Prohibition against Lying	p. 69
Medical Ethics
Eugenics: Should We Create Designer Babies?	p. 75
Introduction	p. 75
Whether Eugenics is Intrinsically Wrong	p. 77
Bad Consequences and Slippery Slope Argument	p. 79
Balancing all the considerations	p. 84
Stem Cell Research and Abortion	p. 87
Introduction	p. 87
The Potential Benefits of Stem Cell Research	p. 89
The Moral Status of Stem Cell Research	p. 90
The Central Issue: When Does Life Begin?	p. 93
Ramifications for Morality of Stem Cell Research	p. 96
Abortion	p. 98
Euthanasia	p. 102
Overview and Definitional issues	p. 102
Arguments favouring euthanasia	p. 104
Arguments Against Euthanasia	p. 107
Overview of Moral Status of Euthanasia	p. 113
Dealing with Wrongdoers
Punishment and Sentencing	p. 119
Introduction	p. 119
Pick a Theory of Punishment	p. 120
Ignore Public Opinion	p. 121
Identify the Objectives of Sentencing-Incapacitation, Deterrence and Rehabilitation?	p. 122
Make the Punishment Fit the Crime	p. 123
Aggravating and Mitigating Factors-Scrutinise each of them	p. 124
On-Going Reform	p. 125
Terrorism	p. 128
Terrorism: what is it?	p. 128
Responses to Terrorism-Security Versus Liberty	p. 131
The Types of Restrictive Laws That are Permissible	p. 134
The Right to Free Speech is Untrammeled-It is a weapon against terrorism	p. 135
Broader solutions to terrorism	p. 136
Dealing with 'Other' People and Animals
World Poverty	p. 141
The Enormity of World Suffering	p. 141
The Explanation For The Inadequate Response	p. 142
Conclusion	p. 146
Migrants	p. 148
Introduction and an Overview of Arguments Against Strict Migration Controls	p. 148
Sovereignty and the History of Migration Controls	p. 150
Arguments in Favour of Reduced Migration Controls	p. 155
Arguments in Favour of Strict Migration Controls	p. 161
Reform Proposals and Conclusion	p. 166
The Environment	p. 169
Introduction	p. 169
Growing Interest in Environmental Law-Lip Service Only?	p. 169
A Moral Environmental Duty is Not Self-Evident	p. 172
Grounding a Moral Environment Duty	p. 174
Practical Application: Should we Ratify the Kyoto Protocol	p. 176
Animals	p. 184
Overview of Chapter	p. 184
It is Morally Wrong to Treat Animals Cruelly	p. 185
Why Has There Not Been More Attempts to Prevent Cruelty to Animals?	p. 191
Business Ethics
The Social Responsibility of Corporations	p. 197
Introduction	p. 197
The Threshold Issue: Is There a Role For Ethical Considerations in Business	p. 198
Application of Moral Principle to Business Setting	p. 204
Additional Duties Imposed on Corporations-A Duty of Benevolence?	p. 206
Extreme Wealth and Duty to Not Frustrate Access to Justice	p. 212
Summary	p. 213
Bribery and Networking	p. 216
Introduction	p. 216
Definitions	p. 217
Moral Evaluation of Bribery	p. 219
Moral Evaluation of Networking	p. 220
Conclusion	p. 225
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