Ethics: History, Theory, and Contemporary Issues

The most comprehensive collection of its kind, Ethics is organized into three sections, providing instructors with flexibility in designing and teaching a variety of courses in moral philosophy. The first section, Historical Sources, moves from classical thought (Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Epictetus) through medieval views (Augustine and Aquinas) to modern theories (Hobbes, Butler, Hume, Kant, Bentham, and Mill). It culminates with leading nineteenth- and twentieth-century thinkers (Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, James, Dewey, Camus, and Sartre). The readings are reprinted in their entirety wherever possible. The second section, Modern Ethical Theory, includes many of the most important essays of the twentieth century. The discussion of utilitarianism, Kantianism, egoism, and relativism continues in the work of major contemporary philosophers (Williams, Brandt, Feinberg, Foot, and Rachels). Landmark selections (Moore, Prichard, Ross, Ayer, Stevenson, Anscombe, Baier, Hare, Harman, and Gauthier) reflect concern with moral language and the justification of morality. The concepts of justice (Rawls) and rights (Feinberg), are explored, as well as recent views on the importance of virtue ethics (MacIntyre and Rachels), and an ethic influenced by feminist concerns (Held). In the third section, Contemporary Moral Problems, the readings present the current debates over abortion, euthanasia, famine relief, animal rights, the death penalty, and affirmative action. The second edition contains expanded selections from Plato's Republic and additional material from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Camus's he Myth of Sisyphus, as well as classic essays by Prichard, Ayer, and Anscombe. It also includes articles by Michael Stocker on ethical theory; Jane English and Joel Feinberg on abortion; Thomas D. Sullivan on euthanasia; Hugo Adam Bedau on capital punishment; and Judith Jarvis Thompson, Robert Simon, and Steven M. Cahn on affirmative action.