The Elements of Moral Philosophy

Firmly established as the standard text for undergraduate courses in ethics, this concise, lively book takes the reader on an in-depth tour of the major moral theories, always illustrating abstract ideas with concrete examples. Separate, self-contained chapters examine such theories as Egoism, Kantianism, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics, and the Social Contract Theory. Through this conceptual framework, the text addresses timely and provocative issues, including abortion, racism, euthanasia, poverty, marijuana, homosexuality, the death penalty, and vegetarianism. The text's versatility makes it an ideal choice for use not only in ethical theory courses, but also in applied ethics courses of all kinds.

Table of Contents:
PrefaceAbout the Sixth EditionCHAPTER 1: WHAT IS MORALITY?1.1. The Problem of Definition1.2. First Example: Baby Theresa1.3. Second Example: Jodie and Mary1.4. Third Example: Tracy Latimer1.5. Reason and Impartiality1.6. The Minimum Conception of MoralityCHAPTER 2: THE CHALLENGE OF CULTURAL RELATIVISM2.1. Different Cultures Have Different Moral Codes2.2. Cultural Relativism2.3. The Cultural Differences Argument2.4. What Follows from Cultural Relativism2.5. Why There Is Less Disagreement Than It Seems2.6. Some Values are Shared by All Cultures2.7. Judging a Cultural Practice to Be Undesirable2.8. Back to the Five Claims 2.9. What Can Be Learned from Cultural RelativismCHAPTER 3: SUBJECTIVISM IN ETHICS3.1. The Basic Idea of Ethical Subjectivism3.2. The Evolution of the Theory3.3. The First Stage: Simple Subjectivism3.4. The Second Stage: Emotivism3.5. The Role of Reason in Ethics3.6. Are There Proofs in Ethics?3.7. The Question of HomosexualityCHAPTER 4: DOES MORALITY DEPEND ON RELIGION?4.1. The Presumed Connection Between Morality and Religion4.2. The Divine Command Theory4.3. The Theory of Natural Law4.4. Religion and Particular Moral IssuesCHAPTER 5: ETHICAL EGOISM5.1. Is There a Duty to Help Starving People?5.2. Psychological Egoism5.3. Three Arguments for Ethical Egoism5.4. Three Arguments Against Ethical EgoismCHAPTER 6: THE IDEA OF A SOCIAL CONTRACT6.1. Hobbes’s Argument6.2. The Prisoner’s Dilemma6.3. Some Advantages of the Social Contract Theory6.4. The Problem of Civil Disobedience6.5. Difficulties for the TheoryCHAPTER 7: THE UTILITARIAN APPROACH7.1. The Revolution in Ethics7.2. First Example: Euthanasia7.3. Second Example: Marijuana7.4. Third Example: Nonhuman AnimalsCHAPTER 8:THE DEBATE OVER UTILITARIANISM8.1. The Classical Version of the Theory8.2. Is Pleasure All That Matters?8.3. Are Consequences All That Matter?8.4. Should We Be Equally Concerned for Everyone?8.5. The Defense of Utilitarianism8.6. Concluding ThoughtsCHAPTER 9: ARE THERE ABSOLUTE MORAL RULES? 9.1. Harry Truman and Elizabeth Anscombe9.2. The Categorical Imperative9.3. Kant's Arguments on Lying9.4. Conflicts Between Rules9.5. Kant's InsightCHAPTER 10: KANT AND RESPECT FOR PERSONS10.1. Kant's Core Ideas10.2. Retribution and Utility in the Theory of Punishment10.3. Kant’s RetributivismCHAPTER 11: FEMINISM AND THE ETHICS OF CARE11.1. Do Women and Men Think Differently about Ethics?11.2. Implications for Moral Judgment11.3. Implications for Ethical TheoryCHAPTER 12: THE ETHICS OF VIRTUE12.1. The Ethics of Virtue and the Ethics of Right Action12.2. The Virtues12.3. Two Advantages of Virtue Ethics12.4. The Problem of Incompleteness12.5. ConclusionCHAPTER 13: WHAT WOULD A SATISFACTORY MORAL THEORY BE LIKE? 13.1. Morality Without Hubris13.2. Treating People as They Deserve 13.3. A Variety of Motives13.4. Multiple-Strategies Utilitarianism13.5. The Moral Community13.6. Justice and Fairness13.7. ConclusionNotes on SourcesIndex

About the Author :
James Rachels, the distinguished American moral philosopher, was born in Columbus, Georgia. He graduated from Mercer University in Macon in 1962. He received his PhD in 1967 from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He taught at the University of Richmond, New York University, the University of Miami, Duke University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he spent the last twenty-six years of his career. 1971 saw the publication of Rachels groundbreaking textbook Moral Problems, which ignited the movement in America away from teaching ethical theory towards teaching concrete practical issues. Moral Problems sold 100,000 copies over three editions. In 1975, Rachels wrote Active and Passive Euthanasia, arguing that the distinction so important in the law between killing and letting die has no rational basis. Originally appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, this essay has been reprinted roughly 300 times and is a staple of undergraduate education. The End of Life (1986) was about the morality of killing and the value of life. Created from Animals (1990) argued that a Darwinian world-view has widespread philosophical implications, including drastic implications for our treatment of nonhuman animals. Can Ethics Provide Answers? (1997) was Rachels first collection of papers (others are expected posthumously). Rachels McGraw-Hill textbook, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, is now in its fourth edition and is easily the best-selling book of its kind.Over his career, Rachels wrote 5 books and 85 essays, edited 7 books and gave about 275 professional lectures. His work has been translated into Dutch, Italian, Japanese, and Serbo-Croatian. James Rachels is widely admired as a stylist, as his prose is remarkably free of jargon and clutter. A major theme in his work is that reason can resolve difficult moral issues. He has given reasons for moral vegetarianism and animal rights, for affirmative action (including quotas), for the humanitarian use of euthanasia, and for the idea that parents owe as much moral consideration to other peoples children as they do to their own. James Rachels died of cancer on September 5th, 2003, in Birmingham, Alabama. Stuart Rachels is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama. He has revised several of James Rachels books, including Problems from Philosophy (second edition, 2009) and The Right Thing to Do (fifth edition, 2010), which is the companion anthology to this book. Stuart won the United States Chess Championship in 1989 at the age of 20, and he is a Bronze Life Master at bridge. His website is www.jamesrachels.org/stuart.