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Contemporary Moral and Social Issues is a uniquely entertaining introduction that brings ethical thought to life. It makes innovative use of engaging, topically oriented original short fiction, together with classic and influential readings and editorial discussion as a means of helping students think philosophically about ethical theory and practical ethical problems.
* Introduces students to ethical theory and a range of practical moral issues through a combination of key primary texts, clear editorial commentary, and engaging, original fiction
* Includes discussion of topics such as world poverty, abortion, animals, the environment, and genetic engineering, containing "Facts and Factual Issues" for each topic to give students an up-to-date understanding of related factual issues.
* Uses immersive, original short works of fiction as a means to engage students to think philosophically about serious ethical issues
List of contents
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
Source Acknowledgments xviii
Part I Introduction: Values 1
1 Fiction: 3
"Too Much." A young teacher and mother is thinking about her life as she sorts through the mailings from the opposing causes supported by her parents and in-laws 3
Questions 8
2 Discussion: 9
"Too Much" 9
Values 10
Personal Values 10
Some distinctions 10
Happiness as the ultimate personal value 12
Happiness research 14
Other personal values 15
Moral Values 16
Moral values/issues in the story 16
What are moral values 17
Biased moral reasoning 20
Notes and selected sources 21
Definitions 21
Questions 22
3 Readings: 23
Claudia Wallis writes about the "new science of happiness" 23
Robert Nozick discusses his case of the "experience machine" 28
Jonathan Glover discusses the dual values of happiness and flourishing 29
Patrick Grim asks what makes a life good, distinguishing between "lives to envy" and "lives to admire" 32
Louis P. Pojman, Richard Joyce and Shaun Nichols give their views on what morality is 35
Jonathan Haidt discusses biases in our moral reasoning 40
Part II Moral Theory 45
4 Fiction: 47
"Long Live the King." A fable about townspeople wondering how they should live when messages from the King become confusing, even contradictory 47
Questions 50
5 Discussion: 51
"Long Live the King" 51
Religious ethics 52
God and the good 52
The God perspective 55
Utilitarianism and rights 56
Utilitarianism 56
A first look at rights 58
The idealized human perspective 59
Aristotle and virtue ethics 59
Kant and universalizability 61
Rawls and the ideal agent 63
The unidealized human perspective 65
Evolutionary ethics 65
Basic social contract theory 67
Moral libertarianism 69
Notes and selected sources 70
Definitions 71
Questions 73
Appendix: moral relativism 74
What's supposed to be relative? 74
Cultural relativism 77
Individual relativism/moral subjectivism 78
Notes and selected sources 80
Definitions 81
Questions 81
6 Readings: 82
Jeremy Bentham presents a classic statement of the principle of utility 82
John Stuart Mill argues that there are higher and lower forms of happiness 84
Peter Singer discusses what ethics is and offers a justification for a utilitarian ethic 86
Immanuel Kant argues that ethics is based on "the categorical imperative" 89
John Rawls argues that from an original position of equality we would reject utilitarianism in favor of his two principles of justice 93
Robert Nozick discusses the moral principles behind his political libertarianism 96
Jeremy Waldron discusses the concept of human rights and gives an argument for "welfare rights" 100
Aristotle analyzes happiness as a life lived according to virtue 103
Jonathan Haidt discusses virtue ethics in the context of positive psychology 106
Jean Grimshaw discusses the idea of a female ethic, reviewing some contemporary writers on the subject 109
Simon Blackburn warns against confusions we should avoid if we read popular literature on ethics and evolution 112
George Lakoff describes two forms of Christianity that parallel two different models of the family 113<
About the author
Thomas D. Davis taught at the University of Michigan, Grinnell College, the University of Redlands, San Jose State University, and De Anza College. In addition to writing four editions of
Philosophy: An Introduction Through Original Fiction, Discussion and Readings (fourth edition, 2004), he is the author of three published novels:
Suffer Little Children (1991),
Murdered Sleep (1994), and
Consuming Fire (1996).
Summary
Contemporary Moral and Social Issues makes innovative use of fiction as a vehicle for engaging students to think philosophically about ethical issues. The first three chapters provide a general dialogue on value theory, moral theory, and moral issues in politics.
