Thinking critically about moral problems

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Title:

Personal Author:

Wall, Thomas F.

Publication Information:

Belmont, Calif. : Wadsworth, 2003

ISBN:

9780534574239

Subject Term:

Ethics

Ethical problems

Critical thinking

Available:*

Library	Item Barcode	Call Number	Material Type	Item Category 1	Status
Searching... PSZ JB	30000010062177	BJ1012 W34 2003	Open Access Book	Book	Searching... Unknown

In contrast to most texts designed to introduce students to contemporary moral problems, this book is designed to present students with a method for how to think for themselves in a morally reasoned fashion. Honing students' critical thinking skills through continuous reference to a step-by-step method of moral analysis, this text covers not only many timely moral problems associated with life and death, social justice, and sex and reproduction, but many major ethical theories as well, such as utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and egoism. Building on the methodology and critical successes of his THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT PHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEMS (Wadsworth 2002), Wall's new book provides students with clear and readily accessible models of rigorous moral analysis to guide their own deliberations about the most crucial moral issues of our time.

Preface	p. xi
Note to Instructors	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xiv
Introduction: Making Moral Decisions	p. 1
Part 1 Ethics	p. 3
Chapter 1 The General Nature of Ethics	p. 4
Ethics and Philosophy	p. 4
Ethics, Law, and Religion	p. 5
The Divisions of Ethics	p. 7
Chapter 2 Ethical Theory	p. 9
Value Theory	p. 10
Moral and Nonmoral Values	p. 10
Monistic and Pluralistic Theories of Value	p. 11
Theories of Obligation	p. 12
Moral Rules	p. 13
Moral Principles	p. 14
A Few More Concepts	p. 15
Judging the Adequacy of Theories	p. 16
Universality	p. 17
Consistency	p. 17
Simplicity	p. 18
Ethical Relativism	p. 18
Cultural Relativism	p. 19
The Argument for Ethical Relativism	p. 20
Consequentialism	p. 21
Ethical Egoism	p. 22
Evaluating Ethical Egoism	p. 24
Psychological Egoism	p. 25
Problems with Psychological Egoism	p. 26
The Role of Selfishness in Ethics	p. 27
Utilitarianism	p. 29
Act Utilitarianism	p. 29
Rule Utilitarianism	p. 30
Evaluating Utilitarianism	p. 32
Deontology	p. 35
The Ethics of Kant	p. 35
The Good Will	p. 35
Acting from Duty	p. 36
Kant's Theory of Obligation	p. 37
The Categorical Imperative	p. 37
The First Formulation: Rules Must Be Universal	p. 38
The Second Formulation: Respect for Persons	p. 39
The Third Formulation: Respect for Autonomy	p. 41
Evaluting the Ethics of Kant	p. 43
Virtue Ethics	p. 44
Virtues and Obligations	p. 45
Aristotle: The Good Life	p. 47
The Golden Mean	p. 48
Evaluating Virtue Ethics	p. 48
Other Ethical Theories	p. 51
Do No Harm	p. 51
The Ethics of Rights	p. 52
The Ethics of Care	p. 54
Chapter 3 Our Ethical Theory	p. 56
A Theory of Obligation	p. 56
The Nature of Right Action	p. 56
Beneficence	p. 57
Justice	p. 57
Autonomy	p. 59
The Definition of Right Action	p. 60
Moral Reasoning	p. 60
1. Habitual	p. 61
2. Factual	p. 61
3. Conflict of Rules	p. 63
4. Conflict of Principles	p. 64
"Good Reasons" Arguments	p. 66
Theory of Value	p. 68
Moral Values	p. 68
Obligations, Excellence, and Aspiration	p. 69
Values and Obligations	p. 69
The Primacy of an Ethics of Principles	p. 70
Virtue Ethics Supplements an Ethics of Principles	p. 71
The Role of Aspiration	p. 72
Final Remarks on Ethical Theories	p. 72
Chapter 4 The Method of Ethics: Critical Thinking	p. 73
The Elements of Critical Thinking	p. 73
The Structure of Part 2	p. 76
The Problem	p. 76
Facts and Assumptions	p. 77
Moral Reasoning	p. 78
Evaluation	p. 79
Another Perspective	p. 81
Part 2 Moral Problems	p. 83
Section A Moral Problems Concerned with Life and Death	p. 84
Chapter 5 Capital Punishment	p. 85
The Problem	p. 85
Clarifying Concepts	p. 85
Formulating the Problem	p. 86
Possible Solutions	p. 87
Facts and Assumptions	p. 88
Facts	p. 88
Descriptive Ethics	p. 89
Assumptions	p. 90
Moral Reasoning	p. 90
The Case for Capital Punishment	p. 91
The Case against Capital Punishment	p. 93
Replies to Objections	p. 94
Evaluation	p. 100
Ethical Theory	p. 100
Your Evaluation	p. 101
A Few Comments	p. 104
Consequences	p. 105
Another Perspective	p. 106
Chapter 6 Abortion	p. 116
The Problem	p. 116
Clarifying Concepts	p. 117
Formulating the Problem	p. 119
Possible Solutions	p. 119
Facts and Assumptions	p. 124
Facts	p. 124
Descriptive Ethics	p. 126
Assumptions	p. 128
Points of View	p. 129
Moral Reasoning	p. 130
The Personhood Question	p. 130
The Abortion Question	p. 138
Evaluation	p. 143
Ethical Theory	p. 144
Your Evaluation	p. 145
A Few Comments	p. 146
Evaluating the Abortion Arguments	p. 148
Consequences	p. 150
Another Perspective	p. 151
Chapter 7 Physician Assistance in Dying	p. 156
The Problem	p. 158
Clarifying Concepts	p. 158
Formulating the Problem	p. 161
Possible Solutions	p. 161
Facts and Assumptions	p. 163
Facts	p. 163
Descriptive Ethics	p. 165
Assumptions	p. 168
Points of View	p. 171
Moral Reasoning	p. 172
The Case for Physician Assistance in Dying	p. 173
The Case against Physician Assistance in Dying	p. 175
Replies to Objections	p. 178
Evaluation	p. 186
Ethical Theory	p. 187
Your Evaluation	p. 188
A Few Comments	p. 189
Consequences	p. 191
Another Perspective	p. 193
Section B Moral Problems Concerned with Social Justice	p. 201
Chapter 8 Justice at Home	p. 203
The Problem	p. 205
Clarifying Concepts	p. 207
Formulating the Problem	p. 210
Possible Solutions	p. 211
Facts and Assumptions	p. 213
Facts	p. 213
Descriptive Ethics	p. 214
Assumptions	p. 217
Points of View	p. 222
Moral Reasoning	p. 222
The Case against Affirmative Action	p. 222
"Compensatory Justice" Case for Affirmative Action	p. 227
The "Present Injustice" Case for Affirmative Action	p. 228
Replies to Objections	p. 231
Evaluation	p. 235
Your Evaluation	p. 236
A Few Comments	p. 237
Consequences	p. 239
Another Perspective	p. 239
Chapter 9 Global Justice	p. 246
The Problem	p. 247
Clarifying Concepts	p. 247
Formulating the Problem	p. 249
Possible Solutions	p. 250
Facts and Assumptions	p. 251
Facts	p. 251
Descriptive Ethics	p. 253
Assumptions	p. 255
Points of View	p. 256
Moral Reasoning	p. 257
The Case for the Neomalthusian View	p. 257
The Case for the Humanitarian View	p. 261
The Case for the Developmentalist View	p. 264
Replies to Objections	p. 268
Evaluation	p. 274
Ethical Theory	p. 274
Your Evaluation	p. 275
A Few Comments	p. 276
Consequences	p. 277
Another Perspective	p. 278
Chapter 10 The Moral Status of Animals	p. 284
The Problem	p. 286
Clarifying Concepts	p. 286
Formulating the Problem	p. 289
Possible Solutions	p. 290
Facts and Assumptions	p. 293
Facts	p. 293
Descriptive Ethics	p. 297
Assumptions	p. 299
Points of View	p. 300
Moral Reasoning	p. 301
The Case for the Conventional View	p. 301
The Case for the Animal Welfare View	p. 303
The Case for the Animal Rights View	p. 306
The Case for the Animal Liberation View	p. 310
Replies to Objections	p. 315
Evaluation	p. 315
Ethical Theory	p. 315
A Few Comments	p. 316
Consequences	p. 325
Another Perspective	p. 326
Section C Moral Problems Concerned with Sex and Reproduction	p. 327
Chapter 11 Sex, Love, and Marriage	p. 329
The Problem	p. 330
Clarifying Concepts	p. 330
Formulating the Problem	p. 332
Possible Solutions	p. 333
Facts and Assumptions	p. 335
Facts	p. 335
Descriptive Ethics	p. 338
Assumptions	p. 340
Points of View	p. 343
Moral Reasoning	p. 343
The Case for the Liberal View	p. 343
The Case for the Moderate View	p. 345
The Case for the Conservative View	p. 347
Replies to Objections	p. 351
Evaluation	p. 354
Ethical Theory	p. 354
Your Evaluation	p. 355
A Few Comments	p. 356
Consequences	p. 358
Another Perspective	p. 360
Chapter 12 The Censorship of Pornography	p. 369
The Problem	p. 370
Clarifying Concepts	p. 371
Formulating the Problem	p. 373
Possible Solutions	p. 374
Facts and Assumptions	p. 375
Facts	p. 375
Descriptive Ethics	p. 377
Assumptions	p. 382
Points of View	p. 385
Moral Reasoning	p. 386
The Case against Censorship	p. 387
The Case for Censorship	p. 390
Replies to Objections	p. 396
Evaluation	p. 400
Ethical Theory	p. 401
Your Evaluation	p. 402
A Few Comments	p. 403
Consequences	p. 404
Another Perspective	p. 405
Chapter 13 Reproductive Technology	p. 411
Types of Reproductive Technologies	p. 412
Diagnostic Technologies	p. 412
Fertility Technologies	p. 415
Genetic Technologies	p. 420
Some Moral Implications	p. 422
General Moral Issues	p. 423
Specific Moral Issues	p. 424
The Morality of Human Cloning	p. 432
Notes	p. 454
Index	p. 459

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