Contemporary Moral Problems - Softcover

White, James E

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9780495553205: Contemporary Moral Problems

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0495553204 ISBN 13: 9780495553205

Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc, 2008

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Explore today's challenging moral terrain with James White's CONTEMPORARY MORAL PROBLEMS. The ninth edition examines the compelling and contentious debate over society's most pressing ethical controversies. This anthology covers divergent viewpoints on many timely issues and introduces you to the major theories in the history of Western ethics. This balanced collection features carefully chosen readings on classic topics such as abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment. It also engages students in current debates about global warming, torture, war and terrorism, and same-sex marriage. Fourteen new reading selections in this edition ensure up-to-date coverage of contemporary moral issues. This book's well-crafted introductions to each chapter and reading; emphasis on opposing viewpoints; probing review and discussion questions; and provocative case studies ensure that you will develop a rich understanding of ethical theories and the issues to which they apply. Depend on this accessible, comprehensive anthology to engage you in a lively and informed discussion of contemporary ethics.

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Review:

Preface. 1. ETHICAL THEORIES. Introduction. James Rachels: Egoism and Moral Skepticism. John Arthur: . Religion, Morality, and Conscience. Saint Thomas Aquinas: The Natural Law. David Hume: Morality is based on Sentiment. Mary Midgley: Trying Out One's New Sword. John Stuart Mill: Utilitarianism. Immanuel Kant: The Categorical Imperative. Aristotle: Happiness and Virtue. John Rawls: A Theory of Justice. Hilde Lindemann: What is Feminist Ethics? Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 2. ABORTION. Introduction. The U.S. Supreme Court: Excerpts from Roe v. Wade (1973). John T. Noonan, Jr.: An Almost Absolute Value in History. Judith Jarvis Thomson: A Defense of Abortion. Mary Anne Warren: On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion. Don Marquis: An Argument that Abortion is Wrong. Eugene Mills: The Egg and I: Conception, Identity, and Abortion. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 3. EUTHANASIA AND THE DUTY TO DIE. Introduction. James Rachels: Active and Passive Euthanasia. Bonnie Steinbock: The Intentional Termination of Life. Dan W. Brock: Voluntary Active Euthanasia. John Hardwig: Is There a Duty to Die? Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 4. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. Introduction. The U.S. Supreme Court: Gregg v. Georgia (1976). Immanuel Kant: The Retributive Theory of Punishment. Ernest van den Haag: The Ultimate Punishment. Jeffrey H. Reiman: Against the Death Penalty. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 5. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. Introduction. Jeff Jordan: Is it Wrong to Discriminate on the Basis of Homosexuality? David Boonin: Same-Sex Marriage and the Argument From. Public Disagreement. Jonathan Rauch: Who Needs Marriage? Maggie Gallagher: What Marriage is For. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 6. ANIMAL LIBERATION AND VEGETARIANISM. Introduction. Immanuel Kant: Our Duties to Animals. Peter Singer: All Animals Are Equal. Bonnie Steinbock: Speciesism and the Idea of Equality. Alastair Norcross: Puppies, Pigs, and People: Eating. Meat and Marginal Cases. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 7. WORLD POVERTY AND HUNGER. Introduction. Thomas Pogge: World Poverty and Hunger. John McMillan: Antipoverty Warriors. Peter Singer: Famine, Affluence, and Morality. Garett Hardin: Living on a Lifeboat. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 8. FINANCIAL CRISIS. Introduction. Niall Ferguson: The Descent of Money. David McNally: From Financial Crisis to World Slump. Paul Krugman: The Return of Depression Economics. Nomi Prins and Christopher Hayes: Meet the Hazzards. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 9. WAR AND TERRORISM. Introduction. Douglas P. Lackey: Pacifism. Michael W. Brough, John W. Lango, and Harry van der Linden: Just War Principles. Neta C. Crawford: The Slippery Slope to Preventive War. Laurie Calhoun: The Terrorist's Tacit Message. Thomas Nagel: What Is Wrong with Terrorism? David Luban: The War on Terrorism and the End of Human Rights. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 10. TORTURE. Introduction. Alan Dershowitz: The Case for Torturing the Ticking Bomb Terrorist. David Luban: Liberalism, Torture and the Ticking Bomb. Uwe Steinhoff: The Case for Dirty Harry and against Alan Dershowitz. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings. 11. ASSASSINATION. Introduction. Whitley R. P. Kaufman: Rethinking the Ban on Assassination: Just War Principles in the Age of Terror. Daniel Statman: Targeted Killing. Problem Cases. Suggested Readings.

About the Author:

James E. White received a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado and is retired after teaching at Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota.

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