The fundamentals of ethics

Author(s)

• Shafer-Landau, Russ

Bibliographic Information

The fundamentals of ethics

Russ Shafer-Landau

Oxford University Press, c2024

6th ed

• : pbk

Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. R-1-R-2) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

In The Fundamentals of Ethics, Sixth Edition, author Russ Shafer-Landau employs a uniquely engaging writing style to introduce students to the essential ideas of moral philosophy. Offering more comprehensive coverage of the good life, normative ethics, and metaethics than any other text of its kind, this book also addresses issues that are often omitted from other texts, such as the doctrine of doing and allowing, the doctrine of double effect, ethical particularism, the desire-satisfaction theory of well-being, moral error theory, and Ross' theory of prima facie duties. Shafer-Landau carefully reconstructs and analyzes dozens of arguments in depth, at a level that is understandable to students with no prior philosophical background.

Table of Contents

Preface New to the Sixth Edition Instructor's Manual and Companion Website A Note on the Companion Volume Acknowledgments INTRODUCTION PART one The Good Life Chapter 1: Hedonism: Its Powerful Appeal CHAPTER 2: Is Happiness All That Matters? CHAPTER 3 Getting What You Want A Variety of Good Lives Personal Authority Avoiding Objective Values Motivation Justifying the Pursuit of Self-Interest Knowledge of the Good Discussion Questions CHAPTER 4 Problems for the Desire Theory Getting What You Want May Not Be Necessary for Promoting Your Good Getting What You Want May Not Be Sufficient for Promoting Your Good Desires Based on False Beliefs Disinterested and Other-Regarding Desires Disappointment Ignorance of Desire Satisfaction Impoverished Desires The Paradox of Self-Harm and Self-Sacrifice The Fallibility of Our Deepest Desires Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection PART two Normative Ethics: Doing the Right Thing CHAPTER 5 Morality and Religion First Assumption: Religious Belief Is Needed for Moral Motivation Second Assumption: Moral Conduct Is Rational only if God Exists Third Assumption: God Is the Creator of Morality Fourth Assumption: Religion Is an Essential Source of Moral Guidance Conclusion Discussion Questions CHAPTER 6 Natural Law The Theory and Its Attractions Three Conceptions of Human Nature Human Nature as Animal Nature Human Nature Is What Is Innate Human Nature Is What All Humans Have in Common Natural Purposes The Argument from Humanity Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection CHAPTER 7 Psychological Egoism Egoism and Altruism Does It Matter Whether Psychological Egoism Is True? The Argument from Our Strongest Desires The Argument from Expected Benefit Two Egoistic Strategies Appealing to the Guilty Conscience Expanding the Realm of Self-Interest Letting the Evidence Decide Conclusion Discussion Questions CHAPTER 8 Ethical Egoism Why Be Moral? Two Popular Arguments for Ethical Egoism The Self-Reliance Argument The Libertarian Argument The Best Argument for Ethical Egoism Three Problems for Ethical Egoism Egoism Violates Core Moral Beliefs Egoism Cannot Allow for the Existence of Moral Rights Egoism Arbitrarily Makes My Interests All-Important Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection CHAPTER 9 Consequentialism: Its Nature and Attractions The Nature of Consequentialism Its Structure Maximizing Goodness Moral Knowledge Actual Versus Expected Results Assessing Actions and Intentions The Attractions of Utilitarianism Impartiality The Ability to Justify Conventional Moral Wisdom Conflict Resolution Moral Flexibility The Scope of the Moral Community Slippery Slope Arguments Discussion Questions CHAPTER 10 Consequentialism: Its Difficulties Measuring Well-Being Utilitarianism Is Very Demanding Deliberation Motivation Action Impartiality No Intrinsic Wrongness (or Rightness) The Problem of Injustice Potential Solutions to the Problem of Injustice Justice Is Also Intrinsically Valuable Injustice Is Never Optimific Justice Must Sometimes Be Sacrificed Rule Consequentialism Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection CHAPTER 11 The Kantian Perspective: Fairness and Justice Consistency and Fairness The Principle of Universalizability Morality and Rationality Assessing the Principle of Universalizability Integrity Kant on Absolute Moral Duties Discussion Questions CHAPTER 12 The Kantian Perspective: Autonomy, Free Will, and Respect The Principle of Humanity The Importance of Rationality and Autonomy The Problem of Free Will Four Problems with the Principle of Humanity Vagueness Determining Just Deserts Moral Luck The Scope of the Moral Community The Good Will and Moral Worth Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection CHAPTER 13 The Social Contract Tradition: The Theory and Its Attractions The Lure of Proceduralism The Background of the Social Contract Theory The Prisoner's Dilemma Cooperation and the State of Nature The Advantages of Contractarianism Morality Is Essentially a Social Phenomenon Contractarianism Explains and Justifies the Content of the Basic Moral Rules Contractarianism Offers a Method for Justifying Every Moral Rule Contractarianism Explains the Objectivity of Morality Contractarianism Explains Why It Is Sometimes Acceptable to Break the Moral Rules More Advantages: Morality and the Law Contractarianism Justifies a Basic Moral Duty to Obey the Law The Contractarian Justification of Legal Punishment Contractarianism Justifies the State's Role in Criminal Law Contractarianism and Civil Disobedience Discussion Questions CHAPTER 14 The Social Contract Tradition: Problems and Prospects Why Be Moral? The Role of Consent Disagreement among the Contractors The Scope of the Moral Community Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection CHAPTER 15 Moral Absolutism Is Torture Always Immoral? Preventing Catastrophes The Doctrine of Double Effect A Reply to the Argument from Disaster Prevention How the DDE Threatens Act Consequentialism Distinguishing Intention from Foresight Moral Conflict and Contradiction Is Moral Absolutism Irrational? The Doctrine of Doing and Allowing Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection CHAPTER 16 Prima Facie Duties and Ethical Particularism Ross's Ethic of Prima Facie Duties The Advantages of Ross's View There are Many Fundamental Moral ConsiderationsWe Are Sometimes Permitted to Break the Moral Rules Moral Conflict Moral Regret Addressing the Anti-absolutist Arguments A Problem for Ross's View The Appeal to Self-Evidence Self-Evidence and the Testing of Moral Theories Knowing the Right Thing to Do Ethical Particularism Three Problems for Ethical Particularism Its Lack of Unity Accounting for Moral Knowledge Some Things Possess Permanent Moral Importance Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection CHAPTER 17 Virtue Ethics The Standard of Right Action Moral Complexity Moral Understanding Moral Education The Nature of Virtue Virtue and the Good Life Objections Tragic Dilemmas Does Virtue Ethics Offer Adequate Moral Guidance? Is Virtue Ethics Too Demanding? Who Are the Moral Role Models? Conflict and Contradiction The Priority Problem Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection CHAPTER 18 Feminist Ethics The Elements of Feminist Ethics Moral Development Women's Experience The Ethics of Care The Importance of Emotions Against Unification Against Impartiality and Abstraction Against Competition Downplaying Rights Challenges for Feminist Ethics Conclusion Discussion Questions Cases for Critical Reflection PART three Metaethics: The Status of Morality CHAPTER 19 Ethical Relativism Doubts about Objective Morality Two Kinds of Ethical Relativism-And Their Attractions Some Implications of Ethical Subjectivism and Cultural Relativism Moral Infallibility Moral Equivalence Questioning Our Own Commitments Moral Progress Ethical Subjectivism and the Problem of Contradiction Cultural Relativism and the Problem of Contradiction Ideal Observers Conclusion Discussion Questions CHAPTER 20 Moral Nihilism Error Theory The Theory and Its Attractions Two Mistaken Objections Expressivism The Theory and Its Attractions How Is It Possible to Argue Logically about Morality? Expressivism and Amoralists The Nature of Moral Judgment Conclusion Discussion Questions CHAPTER 21 Ethical ObjectivismThe Theory and Its Attractions Ten Arguments against Ethical Objectivism Objectivity Requires Absolutism All Truth Is Subjective Equal Rights Imply Equal Plausibility Moral Objectivity Supports Dogmatism Moral Objectivity Supports Intolerance Moral Objectivity Cannot Allow for Legitimate Cultural Variation Moral Disagreement Undermines Moral Objectivity Atheism Undermines Moral Objectivity The Absence of Categorical Reasons Undermines Moral Objectivity Values Have No Place in a Scientific World Conclusion Discussion Questions CHAPTER 22 Is Moral Knowledge Possible? Five Skeptical Arguments The Skeptical Argument from Disagreement Certainty Who's to Say? Irrelevant Influences Hume's Argument Conclusion References?R-1 Suggestions for Further Reading?FR-1 Glossary?G-1 Index?I-1

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

• NCID: BD01951681
• ISBN:
  • 9780197697474
• LCCN: 2023013831
• Country Code: us
• Title Language Code: eng
• Text Language Code: eng
• Place of Publication: New York
• Pages/Volumes: xxii, 383, 7, 2, 8, 19 p.
• Size: 21 cm
• Classification:
  • LCC : BJ1012
  • DC23 : 170
• Subject Headings:
  • LCSH : Ethics