The elements of moral philosophy / James Rachels.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 204-210) and index.

1. WHAT IS MORALITY?: 1.1. The Problem of Definition -- 1.2. First Example. Baby Theresa -- 1.3. Second Example. Jodie and Mary -- 1.4. Third Example. Tracy Latimer -- 1.5. Reason and Impartiality -- 1.6. 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. Judging a Cultural Practice to Be Undesirable -- 2.8. What Can Be Learned from Cultural Relativism -- 2.9. Back to the Five Claims -- 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. Are There Any Moral Facts? -- 3.6. Are There Proofs in Ethics? -- 3.7. The Question 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. Religion and Particular Moral Issues -- 5. ETHICAL EGOISM: 5.1. Is There a Duty to Help Starving People? -- 5.2. Psychological Egoism -- 5.3. Three Arguments for Ethical Egoism -- 5.4. Three Arguments Against Ethical Egoism -- 6. THE UTILITARIAN APPROACH: 6.1. The Revolution in Ethics -- 6.2. First Example. Euthanasia -- 6.3. Second Example. Nonhuman Animals -- 7. THE DEBATE OVER UTILITARIANISM: 7.1. The Classical Version of the Theory -- 7.2. Is Pleasure the Only Thing That Matters? -- 7.3. Are Consequences All That Matter? -- 7.4. Should We Be Equally Concerned for Everyone? -- 7.5. The Defense of Utilitarianism -- 8. ARE THERE ABSOLUTE MORAL RULES?: 8.1. Harry Truman and Elizabeth Anscombe -- 8.2. The Categorical Imperative -- 8.3. Absolute Rules and the Duty Not to Lie -- 8.4. Conflicts Between Rules -- 8.5. Another Look at Kants Basic Idea -- 9. KANT AND RESPECT FOR PERSONS: 9.1. The Idea of Human Dignity -- 9.2. Retribution and Utility in the Theory of Punishment -- 9.3. Kants Retributivism -- 10. THE IDEA OF A SOCIAL CONTRACT: 10.1. Hobbess Argument -- 10.2. The Prisoners Dilemma --10.3. Some Advantages of the Social Contract Theory -- 10.4. The Problem of Civil Disobedience -- 10.5. Difficulties for the Theory -- 11. FEMINISM AND THE ETHICS OF CARE: 11.1. Do Women and Men Think Differently about Ethics? -- 11.2. Implications for Moral Judgment -- 11.3. Implications for Ethical Theory -- 12. THE ETHICS OF VIRTUE: 12.1. The Ethics of Virtue and the Ethics of Right Action -- 12.2. The Virtues -- 12.3. Some Advantages of Virtue Ethics -- 12.4. The Problem of Incompleteness -- 13. WHAT WOULD A SATISFACTORY MORAL THEORY BE LIKE?: 13.1. Morality Without Hubris -- 13.2. Treating People as They Deserve and Other Motives -- 13.3. Multiple-Strategies Utilitarianism -- 13.4. The Moral Community -- 13.5. Justice and Fairness -- 13.6. Conclusion.

Firmly established as the standard text for undergraduate courses in ethics, this concise, lively book combines clear explanations of the main theories of ethics with discussions of interesting examples. Topics covered include famine relief, euthanasia, homosexuality, and the treatment of animals. The text's versatility allows it to be widely used not only in ethical theory courses, but also in applied ethics courses of all kinds.

Machine converted from AACR2 source record.