The Fundamentals of Ethics

Fifth Edition

Russ Shafer-Landau

The Fundamentals of Ethics

Fifth Edition

Russ Shafer-Landau

ISBN:

9780190058319

Binding:

Paperback

Published:

15 Jan 2021

Availability:

101

Series:

$117.95 AUD

$132.99 NZD

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Description

An exceptionally clear, compact, and affordable introduction to a broad range of ethical theories

In The Fundamentals of Ethics, fifth edition, author Russ Shafer-Landau employs a uniquely engaging writing style to introduce students to the essential ideas of moral philosophy. Offering more comprehensive coverage of the good life, normative ethics, and metaethics than any other text of its kind, this book also addresses issues that are often omitted from other texts, such as the doctrine of doing and allowing, the doctrine of double effect, ethical particularism, the desire-satisfaction theory of well-being, moral error theory, and Ross's theory of prima facie duties. Shafer-Landau carefully reconstructs and analyzes dozens of arguments in depth, at a level that is understandable to students with no prior philosophical background.

NEW TO THIS EDITION

  • Substantial improvements to many sections, including "Happiness and Intrinsic Value" in Chapter 1; all three sections in Chapter 5; "Natural Purposes" in Chapter 6; and "Rule Consequentialism" in Chapter 10.
  • Nearly thirty Cases for Critical Reflection, designed to stimulate further thought about the theories discussed in Parts 1 (The Good Life) and 2 (Normative Ethics)
  • Chapter 12 now includes a separate discussion of the problem of free will
  • A new Chapter 22, Is Moral Knowledge Possible? Five Skeptical Arguments, introduces moral skepticism

    This title is available as an eBook. Visit VitalSource for more information or to purchase.

Contents

Introduction

PART ONE: THE GOOD LIFE
1. Hedonism: Its Powerful Appeal
2. Is Happiness All That Matters?
3. Getting What You Want
4. Problems for the Desire Theory
PART TWO: NORMATIVE ETHICS: DOING THE RIGHT THING
5. Morality and Religion
6. Natural Law
7. Psychological Egoism
8. Ethical Egoism
9. Consequentialism: Its Nature and Attractions
10. Consequentialism: Its Difficulties
11. The Kantian Perspective: Fairness and Justice
12. The Kantian Perspective: Autonomy, Free Will, and Respect
13. The Social Contract Tradition: The Theory and Its Attractions
14. The Social Contract Tradition: Problems and Prospects
15. Ethical Pluralism and Absolute Moral Rules
16. Ethical Pluralism: Prima Facie Duties and Ethical Particularism
17. Virtue Ethics
18. Feminist Ethics
PART THREE: METAETHICS: THE STATUS OF MORALITY
19. Ethical Relativism
20. Moral Nihilism
21. Eleven Arguments against Moral Objectivity
22. Is Moral Knowledge Possible? Five Skeptical Arguments

Authors

Russ Shafer-Landau - Professor of Philosophy at the University of Madison, Wisconsin.

Reviews

"This is the best introductory ethics text on the market. I have been assigning it since 2009 and expect to do so for the foreseeable future. Its focus on constructing and evaluating arguments distinguishes it from competing volumes and helps new philosophy students quickly acclimate themselves to the field." - Robert M. Farley, Hillsborough Community College

"The Fundamentals of Ethics is a great introduction to ethics. Shafer-Landau introduces students to metaethics and individual moral theories. He also provides great use of philosophical arguments and terminology without being overly technical. Finally, the price is much lower than alternatives."- Hoon Lee, Triton College

"In The Fundamentals of Ethics, the essential arguments rise to the top and are easily consumed and digested. For a short introduction, the text is amazingly comprehensive in its coverage of the major moral theories. The writing style is the stand-out strength of the book." - Adam English, Campbell University