About the Book
Telling lies, gossiping, practicing adultery, gambling, smoking, using offensive language, corporal punishment of one’s children, copying copyrighted material – these are moral issues that affect, and often deeply affect, our daily lives. Everyday Ethics is a collection of readings devoted to ethical problems like these that confront ordinary people in everyday life. The anthology covers the areas of communication, sex, parents and children, animals, money matters, and body and environment. Nearly all selections are from the late 1980s and the 1990s.
Table of Contents:
IntroductionCOMMUNICATIONHumourMichael Philips, “Racist Acts and Racist Humor” in Canadian Journal of Philosophy, Vol 14, No. 1, March 1984, Ronald de Sousa, “When is it wrong to Laugh?”, in John Morreall (ed.), The Philosophy of Laughter and Humor, 1987, David Benatar, “Prejudice in Jest: When Racial and Gender Humour Harms” in Public Affairs Quarterly, Vol 13, No. 2, April 1999Sexist speechJanice Moulton, “The Myth of the Neutral ‘Man’” in Sexist Language, Mary Vetterling-Braggin (ed),1981Casey Miller & Kate Swift, “Who is Man?”, chapter 2 in Words and Women, 1991Michael Levin, “Language”, chapter 12 in Feminism and Freedom, 1988GossipLaurence Thomas, “The Logic of Gossip” in Good Gossip, Robert F. Goodman & Aaron Ben-Ze’ev (eds.), 1994Sissela Bok, “Gossip”, Chapter 7 of Secrets, 1984 Ronald de Sousa, “In Praise of Gossip: Indiscretion as a Saintly Virtue” in Good Gossip, Robert F. Goodman & Aaron Ben-Ze’ev (eds), 1994LyingImmanuel Kant, “On A Supposed Right to Lie from Altruistic Motives” in Critique of Practical Reason and other Writings in Moral Philosophy, 1949Sissela Bok, Lying: Moral Choice in Public and Private Life, 1978Thomas E. Hill Jr., “Autonomy and Benevolent Lies”, Journal of Value Inquiry, Vol. 18, 1984, (extracts) SEXPremarital Sex, Promiscuity, and MasturbationVincent C. Punzo, “Morality and Human Sexuality” in Thomas A. Mappes & Jane S. Zembaty, Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy, 4/e, 1992Frederick Elliston, “In Defense of Promiscuity” in Robert B. Baker, Kathleen J. Wininger & Frederick A. Elliston (Eds.), Philosophy and Sex, 3/e, 1998Alan Soble, “Masturbation” in Alan Soble (Ed.), The Philosophy of Sex, 3/e, 1997Adultery Richard Wasserstrom, “Is Adultery Immoral?” in Richard Wasserstrom (ed.), Today’s Moral Problems, 2/e, 1979Mike W. Martin, “Adultery and Fidelity” in Journal of Social Philosophy, Vol 25, No. 3., Winter 1994Raja Halwani, “Virtue Ethics and Adultery” in Journal of Social Philosophy, Vol 29, No 3, Winter 1998-9HomosexualityMichael Levin, “Why Homosexuality is Abnormal”, The Monist, 67:2, 1984, extracts.Burton M. Leiser, “Homosexuality, Morals and the Law of Nature” in Ethics in Practice, Hugh LaFollette (ed.), 1997 PARENTS AND CHILDRENRearing ChildrenFrancis Schrag, “The Child in the Moral Order” in Philosophy, 52, 1977Laura Purdy, In Their Best Interest?: The Case Against Equal Rights For Children, 1992David Benatar, “Corporal Punishment” in Social Theory and Practice, Vol 24, No 2, Summer 1998Familial and Filial DutiesJames Rachels, “Morality, Parents and Children” in George Graham and Hugh LaFollette, Person to Person, 1989, Jane English, “What do grown children owe their parents?” in Onora O’Neill & William Ruddick (eds.) Having Children, 1979 Christina Hoff Sommers, “Filial Morality” in Journal of Philosophy, Vol LXXXIII No 8, August 1986 ANIMALS Eating meat and wearing leatherPeter Singer, “All Animals are Equal” in Animal Liberation, 1990Tom Regan, “The Case for Animal Rights” in Peter Singer (Ed.), In Defense of Animals, 1985R.G. Frey, “Rights, Interests, Desires and Beliefs” in American Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 16 No 3 July 1979, Jan Narveson, “A Defense of Meat Eating” in Tom Regan & Peter Singer (Eds.), Animal Rights and Human Obligations, 2/e, 1989 Jordan Curnutt, “A New Argument for Vegetarianism” in Journal of Social Philosophy, Vol. 28, No. 3, Winter 1997, PetsKeith Burgess-Jackson, “Doing Right by our Animal Companions”, The Journal of Ethics, Vol. 2, 1998Gary Varner, “Pets, Companion Animals, and Domesticated Partners”. [New paper.]MONEY MATTERSCopyright violationHelen Nissenbaum, “Should I copy my neighbour’s software?”, Deborah G Johnson & Helen Nissenbaum (Eds.), Computers, Ethics and Social Values, 1995David Carey, “Should Millie Copy?” [New paper.] Giving aidPeter Singer, “Rich and Poor”, Practical Ethics, 2/eJohn Arthur, “Famine Relief and the Ideal Moral Code”. John M Whelan Jr, “Famine and Charity” in The Southern Journal of Philosophy, Vol 29, No 1, 1991Garrett Cullity, “The Life-Saving Analogy” in William Aiken and Hugh LaFollette (eds.), World Hunger and Morality 2/e, 1996GamblingPeter Collins, "Is Gambling Immoral?" [New paper.]Jeffrie G. Murphy, “Indian Casinos and the Morality of Gambling”, Public Affairs Quarterly, Vol 12, No 1, January 1998TippingMark P. Maller, “The Morality of Tipping” in Public Affairs Quarterly, Vol 7 No 3, July 1993. BODY AND ENVIRONMENTSubstance and SustenanceKeith Butler, “The Moral Status of Smoking” in Social Theory and Practice, Vol. 19. No. 1, Spring 1993 Tibor Machan, “Morality and Smoking” [New paper]Dan W. Brock, “The Use of Drugs for Pleasure: Some Philosophical Issues” in Thomas H. Murray, Willard Gaylin & Ruth Macklin, Feeling Good, Doing Better, 1984Elizabeth Tefler, “The Pleasures of Eating and Drinking” in Dudley Knowles and John Skorupski, Virtue and Taste: Essays on Politics, Ethics and Aesthetics, 1993The Environment, Cars and ConsumptionJames C. Anderson & Ronald Sandler, “The Least We Can Do” [New paper]. Julia Meaton & David Morrice, “Individual Freedom and the Ethics of Private Car Use” Judith Lichtenberg, “Consuming Because Others Consume”, Social Theory and Practice, Vol. 22, No. 3, Fall 1996 VIRTUES AND VICES ForgivenessJeffrie Murphy, “Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Responding to Evil: A Philosophical Overview” (selections), in Fordham Urban Law Journal Norvin Richards, “Forgiveness”, Ethics, 99, October 1988Paul M. Hughes, “Moral Anger, Forgiving, and Condoning” in Journal of Social Philosophy, Vol 25, No. 1, Spring 1995Modesty Julia Driver, “Modesty and Ignorance” in Ethics, 109, July 1999G.F. Scheuler, “Why Is Modesty a Virtue?” in Ethics, 109, July 1999 PolitenessFelicia Ackerman, “A Man by Nothing is so well Betrayed as by his Manners? Politeness as a Virtue”, Midwest Studies in Philosophy, XIII, 1988 Sarah Buss, “Appearing Respectful: The Moral Significance of Manners” in Ethics, 109, July 1999Gratitude Fred R. Berger, “Gratitude” in Ethics, Vol. 85, 1975Patrick Fitzgerald, “Gratitude and Justice” in Ethics, 109, October 1998, (extracts)Jealousy and Envy Immanuel Kant, “Jealousy and its offspring - envy and grudge”, Lectures on Ethics, (Translated by Louis Infield), London: Methuen, 1930Daniel Farrell, “Of Jealousy and Envy” in George Graham & Hugh LaFollette (Eds.), Person to Person, 1989
About the Author :
David Benatar is currently Senior Lecturer in the Philosophy Department at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He received his Ph.D. from that university, did post-doctoral work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1993 to 1995, and was Visiting Assistant Professor at the College of Charleston, South Carolina, from 1995 until 1997. His teaching and research interests are in moral philosophy and related areas. In 1999 he was awarded the University of Cape Towns Distinguished Teacher Award.
