Understand Ethics: A Teach Yourself Guide

Overview

Table of contents

Introduction: The Art of Living / What makes something moral? / What is the point of ethics? / At what price is integrity? / Rights and responsibilities / The art of living / Free to choose? / What kind of freedom? / Free will / Determinism / Reductionism / How much freedom does morality need? / Freedom and the state / What do we mean? / Three kinds of language / Defining key terms / Some theories / ‘Is’ and ‘ought’ / Is it natural? / Does it have a ‘final cause’? / Some features of ‘natural law’ / How do you decide what is ‘natural’? / Applying ‘natural law’ / Are we naturally good or bad? / Evolution, change and the natural law / Looking for results / Egoistic hedonism / Utilitarianism / Forms of utilitarianism / Sex and utilitarianism / General criticisms of utilitarianism / The experience of moral choice / Conscience / The categorial imperative / The creative response / Determined and yet free? / Personal development and virtue / Altruism? / Nietzsche / Virture ethics / Existentialism / Humankind, Marx and Freud / Law and order / Society and moral choice / In whose interest? / Is equality possible? / Social rules / Crime and punishment / Capital punishment / In self-defence? / Civil disobedience / If Nietzsche were a civil servant… / Religion and moral values / How are religion and morality related? / Judaism / Christianity / Islam / Hinduism / Buddhism / Sikhism / Religious values and society / Should religious freedom be restricted? / Scepticism and relativism / Nietzsche and Machiavelli / Philosophers or politicians? / Relativism and moral absolutes / Situation ethics / Applied ethics / The natural environment / Animal rights / International issues / Poverty and international aid / War and peace / Feminist issues / Some issues in medical ethics / The beginning and end of life / Genetics / Media issues / Business issues / Some conclusions / Moral progress: can people change? / A better world: illusion or essential hope? / So where does this leave us? / Taking it further / Further reading / Websites / Glossary / Index