Moral Theory: An Introduction

Description

Moral Theory: An Introduction explores some of the historically most important and currently debated moral theories about the nature of the right and the good, including divine command theory, relativism, natural law theory, consequentialism, egoism, Kant’s ethics, ethics of prima facie duties, contractualism, virtue ethics and care ethics. Providing an introduction to moral theory that explains and critically examines the theories of such classical philosophers as Aristotle, Aquinas, Bentham, Kant, Mill, and Ross, this book acquaints students with the work of contemporary moral philosophers. Each chapter has been revised and updated. The third edition includes a new chapter on moral contractualism and an extensively revised chapter on virtue ethics and care ethics. Additionally, the book discusses recent work by moral psychologists making an impact on moral theory. Contents Preface Acknowledgments 1 What Is Moral Theory? 2 Divine Command Theory 3 Moral Relativism 4 Natural Law Theory 5 Consequentialism 1: Classical Utilitarianism 6 Consequentialism 2: Contemporary Developments 7 Ethical Egoism 8 Kant’s Moral Theory 9 Ethics of Prima Facie Duty 10 Moral Contractualism 11 Virtue Ethics and Care Ethics 12 Moral Particularism 13 Conclusion Appendix Standards for Evaluating Moral Theories Guide to Terminology References Index About the Author