Message: A compact, yet thorough collection or reading in ethical theory and contemporary moral problems-at the best price. Brief yet thorough and affordably priced, The Ethical Life: Fundamental Readings in Ethics and Moral Problems is ideal for courses in introductory ethics and contemporary moral problems. Featuring forty readings divided into four parts--Value Theory, Normative Ethics, Metaethics, and Moral Problems--it introduces students to ethical theory and a wide range of moral issues. The essays include selections from such historically influential philosophers as Aristotle, Hume, Kant, and Mill alongside work by contemporary philosophers like Philippa Foot, Robert Nozick, Peter Singer, and Judith Jarvis Thomson. Detailed section and reading introductions provide helpful contextual information. Designed as a companion reader to Russ Shafer-Landau's textbook, The Fundamentals of Ethics, The Ethical Life is also comprehensive enough to be used on its own. For the new edition, Part II on Normative Ethics now includes Plato's dialogue Euthyphro and Ayn Rand's essay "Ethics of Emergencies>".
Part III on Metaethics now includes "A Critique of Ethics>", a classic presentation of expressivism by A.J. Ayer, "Cultural Relativism>" by Harry Gensler, and a newly revised version of Renford Bambrough's writings on proof in ethics. By far the most revision was made to Part IV on Moral Problems. One significant change is that these entries are now organized by topic: Euthanasia and a Modest Proposal; Terrorism and Torture; The Treatment of Non-Humans: Animals and the Environment; Abortion; The Limits of the Law; and Children and Parents. New articles in this section include Alan Dershowitz's controversial defense of the morality of torture, "Should the Ticking Bomb Terrorist be Tortured?>"; Alastair Norcross's provocative paper on the (im)morality of meat-eating, "Puppies, Pigs and People>"; Paul Taylor's defense of a biocentric ethic, "The Ethics of Respect for the Environment>"; Thomas Hill, Jr.'s appeal to virtue as the basis of an environmental ethic, "Ideals of Human Excellence and Preserving Natural Environments>"; and Philippa Foot's classic article, "Abortion and the Doctrine of Double Effect>".
Readings omitted from the new edition include Gilbert Harman, "Ethics and Observation>"; Mary Midgley, "Trying Out One's New Sword>"; Heidi Malm, Paid Surrogacy: Arguments and Responses; Ronald Dworkin, Playing God: Genes, Clones, and Luck; Peter Singer, Unsanctifying Human Life; William F. Baxter, People or Penguins: The Case for Optimal Pollution; David Luban, Liberalism, Torture, and the Ticking Bomb; and Bonnie Steinbock, Adultery. The Instructor's Manual and Test Bank on CD is thoroughly updated and includes summaries of every reading with accompanying essay questions; a Test Bank with essay and multiple-choice questions on every reading; A guide on how to use The Ethical Life, Second Edition in conjunction with The Fundamentals of Ethics, Second Edition; Further Reading; Lecture outlines on PowerPoint; and Weblinks. The Companion Website (www.oup.com/us/shafer-landau) features all the material from the Instructor's Manual and Test Bank. For students, there are introductions to each of the four main sections; Self-quiz questions for each reading; Further Reading; Lecture outlines on PowerPoint slides; and Weblinks.
- ISBN10 019977353X
- ISBN13 9780199773534
- Publish Date 28 July 2011 (first published 1 July 2011)
- Publish Status Temporarily Withdrawn
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
- Edition 2nd Revised edition
- Format Paperback
- Pages 416
- Language English