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The Good Life: Options in Ethics
312
by Burton F. Porter Western New England University
Burton F. Porter Western New England University
The Good Life: Options in Ethics
312
by Burton F. Porter Western New England University
Burton F. Porter Western New England University
eBookFifth Edition (Fifth Edition)
$74.00
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Overview
Intended for use in the introduction to ethics course, The Good Life: Options in Ethics, Fifth Edition is designed to engage today's practical-minded student in more fundamental questions. The book ranges from ideals in living (the good) to contemporary moral problems (the right), exploring and analyzing both areas in order to stimulate deeper reflection.
The first section of the book clears away the obstacles to pursuing ethical understanding - relativism, determinism, and egoism. Then traditional definitions of the good life are discussed, theories such as hedonism, self-realization, duty, evolutionism, religious ethics, and virtue ethic. The final section addresses today's social problems including abortion, euthanasia, animal welfare, capital punishment, and sexual morality.
Provocative questions are raised throughout such as "Does mutual consent legitimize any behavior or are there actions we ought not to consent to?" "Are there better and worse ways for us to enjoy ourselves?" "If self-actualization is the ideal, then can we fault Atilla the Hun or Genghis Khan for realizing themselves?"
The first section of the book clears away the obstacles to pursuing ethical understanding - relativism, determinism, and egoism. Then traditional definitions of the good life are discussed, theories such as hedonism, self-realization, duty, evolutionism, religious ethics, and virtue ethic. The final section addresses today's social problems including abortion, euthanasia, animal welfare, capital punishment, and sexual morality.
Provocative questions are raised throughout such as "Does mutual consent legitimize any behavior or are there actions we ought not to consent to?" "Are there better and worse ways for us to enjoy ourselves?" "If self-actualization is the ideal, then can we fault Atilla the Hun or Genghis Khan for realizing themselves?"
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781442272569 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. |
| Publication date: | 01/05/2017 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 312 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
Burton Porter received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland and his Ph.D. from St. Andrews university, Scotland, with graduate study at Oxford University. He has taught at various institutions including Russell Sage College and Drexel University, and he has held positions as Department Chair and Dean of Arts and Sciences. At present he is Professor of Philosophy at Western New England University, having taught previously as Visiting Professor at Mount Holyoke College. He received the award of Outstanding Educator of America.
In addition to The Good Life, Burton Porter is the author of several other academic works, as well as novels, plays, and children's poetry. His books include The Great Perhaps, What the Tortoise Taught Us, Philosophy through Film, The Head and the Heart, The Voice of Reason, Philosophy through Fiction and Film, Religion and Reason, Personal Philosophy, Reasons for Living, Philosophy: A Literary and Conceptual Approach, and Deity and Morality.
In addition to The Good Life, Burton Porter is the author of several other academic works, as well as novels, plays, and children's poetry. His books include The Great Perhaps, What the Tortoise Taught Us, Philosophy through Film, The Head and the Heart, The Voice of Reason, Philosophy through Fiction and Film, Religion and Reason, Personal Philosophy, Reasons for Living, Philosophy: A Literary and Conceptual Approach, and Deity and Morality.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents PrefaceAbout the AuthorIntroduction The Nature of Ethics The Standard of Reasonableness1. Putting Ethics in Its Place The Role of Ethics within PhilosophyRelationships to Other Branches Ethics and ScienceThe Naturalistic Fallacy Ethics and ReligionPlato’s Euthyphro Ethics and PsychologyPsychological EgoismReview Questions2. Free Will and Determinism Do We Have Free Choice?Fatalism and Predestination Social Scientific DeterminismThe Compelling Factors The Libertarian ReplyArguments for Free Will Hard and Soft DeterminismThe Individual in the Causal ChainReview Questions 3. The Challenge of Relativism Are Values Relative to Our Society?Ethics as Subjective and Cultural Sources of RelativismSocial Science and Multiculturalism Objectivism The Counter Arguments Are Some Actions Intrinsically Valuable?The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Review Questions II. Ideals in Living4. Hedonism as the Good Ethical HedonismPursuing Pleasure or Happiness Individualistic HedonismThe Cyrenaics and Epicureans Universalistic Hedonism – Utilitarianism Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill A Critical AssessmentThe Value of Happiness Review Questions5. Self-Realization Developing Our PotentialitiesBecoming Fully Actualized Defining the Self in Time and SpaceFlaws and Weaknesses Realizing Ourselves as Human Beings Is Human Nature Good? AristotleThe Golden MeanReview Questions6. Evolutionism The Meaning of EvolutionEvolution and Religion Social DarwinismThe Fittest and the Best Spencer’s Evolutionary EthicThe Breadth of Life A Critical AppraisalEvaluating Evolutionism OverallReview Questions7. The Ethic of Duty Judging the Worth of ConductThe Right and the Good Deontology vs. TeleologyIntention Behind Action The Kantian EthicFollowing Principles The Categorical and Practical ImperativesAre There Universal Values?Review Questions8. The Teachings of Religion Judaism – The Old TestamentDivine Commands Christianity – The New TestamentConcepts of Love and Justice Islam The Five Pillars of Faith BuddhismThe Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold PathReview Questions9. Virtue Ethics Ancient GreeceThe Noble Person Medieval PurityCardinal Virtues and Deadly Sins The Modern Perspective Character and Moral Sentiments Feminist Virtue EthicsPersonal Caring Rather Than Moral Rules Review Questions 10. Existentialism The Human Condition Anxiety and Alienation Existence Precedes Essence Phenomenology The Seminal FiguresNietzsche and Kierkegaard Modern ExistentialismJean-Paul SartreReview QuestionsIII. Contemporary Moral Issues11. Contraception and Abortion Artificial Contraceptives The Conflict over AbortionWhen Does the Fetus Become a Person? Pro-Life v. Pro-ChoiceReview Questions 12. Punishment and the Death Penalty Personal Responsibility Mass IncarcerationRival Theories of PunishmentArguments Surrounding Capital PunishmentReview Questions13. Sexual Ethics Does Consent Legitimize Any Private Act? Moral and Immoral Sex The Homosexuality Controversy Are Gay Sexual Relations Wrong?Review Questions 14. The Natural Environment Is Nature Good? Our Relationship to the Natural World Animal Welfare Using Animals for Food, Testing, Clothing, and EntertainmentReview Questions 15. Racism and Sexism Should We Ever Generalize About People? The Remedy of Affirmative Action Discrimination Based On Sex Forms of AbuseReview QuestionsAfterwordGlossary of Philosophic TermsNotesIndexFrom the B&N Reads Blog
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