The elements of moral philosophy / James Rachels.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 203-212) and index.

Preface -- About the Second Edition -- 1. What is Morality? -- 1.1. The Problem of Definition -- 1.2. An Example of Moral Reasoning: Baby Jane Doe -- 1.3. Reason and Impartiality -- 1.4. The Minimum Conception of Morality -- 2. The Challenge of Cultural Relativism -- 2.1. How Different Cultures Have Different Moral Codes -- 2.2. Cultural Relativism -- 2.3. The Cultural Differences Argument -- 2.4. The Consequences of Taking Cultural Relativism Seriously -- 2.5. Why There Is Less Disagreement Than It Seems -- 2.6. How All Cultures Have Some Values in Common -- 2.7. What Can Be Learned from Cultural Relativism -- 3. Subjectivism in Ethics -- 3.1. The Basic Idea of Ethical Subjectivism -- 3.2. The Evolution of the Theory -- 3.3. The First Stage: Simple Subjectivism -- 3.4. The Second Stage: Emotivism -- 3.5. Emotivism, Reason, and "Moral Facts" -- 3.6. The Example of Homosexuality -- 4. Does Morality Depend on Religion? -- 4.1. The Presumed Connection Between Morality and Religion -- 4.2. The Divine Command Theory -- 4.3. The Theory of Natural Law -- 4.4. Christianity and the Problem of Abortion -- 5. Psychological Egoism -- 5.1. Is Unselfishness Possible? -- 5.2. The Strategy of Reinterpreting Motives -- 5.3. Two Arguments in Favor of Psychological Egoism -- 5.4. Clearing Away Some Confusions -- 5.5. The Deepest Error in Psychological Egoism -- 6. Ethical Egoism -- 6.1. Is There a Duty to Contribute for Famine Relief? -- 6.2. Three Arguments in Favor of Ethical Egoism -- 6.3. Three Arguments Against Ethical Egoism -- 7. The Utilitarian Approach -- 7.1. The Revolution in Ethics -- 7.2. First Example: Euthanasia -- 7.3. Second Example: Nonhuman Animals -- 8. The Debate Over Utilitarianism -- 8.1. The Resilience of the Theory -- 8.2. Is Happiness the Only Thing That Matters? -- 8.3. Are Consequences All That Matter? -- 8.4. The Defense of Utilitarianism -- 8.5. What Is Correct and What Is Incorrect in Utilitarianism -- 9. Are There Absolute Moral Rules? -- 9.1. Kant and The Categorical Imperative -- 9.2. Absolute Rules and the Duty Not to Lie -- 9.3. Conflicts Between Rules -- 9.4. Another Look at Kant's Basic Idea -- 10. Kant and Respect for Persons -- 10.1. The Idea of "Human Dignity" -- 10.2. Retribution and Utility in the Theory of Punishment -- 10.3. Kant's Retributivism -- 11. The Idea of a Social Contract -- 11.1. Hobbes's Argument -- 11.2. The Prisoner's Dilemma -- 11.3. Some Advantages of the Social Contract Theory of Morals -- 11.4. The Problem of Civil Disobedience -- 11.5. Difficulties for the Theory -- 12. The Ethics of Virtue -- 12.1. The Ethics of Virtue and the Ethics of Right Action -- 12.2. Should We Return to the Ethics of Virtue? -- 12.3. The Virtues -- 12.4. Some Advantages of Virtue Ethics -- 12.5. The Incompleteness of Virtue Ethics -- 13. What Would a Satisfactory Moral Theory Be Like? -- 13.1. Morality Without Hubris -- 13.2. The Moral Community -- 13.3. Justice and Fairness -- Suggestions for Further Reading -- Notes on Sources -- Index.

Machine converted from AACR2 source record.