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Preface | |
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A Word to the Student: Why Study Moral Philosophy? | |
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Introduction: What Is Ethics? | |
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Morality as Compared with Other Normative Subjects | |
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Traits of Moral Principles | |
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Domains of Ethical Assessment | |
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Why Do We Need Morality? | |
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The Purposes of Morality | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Ethical Relativism: Who's to Judge What's Right and Wrong? | |
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An Analysis of Relativism | |
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Subjective Ethical Relativism (Subjectivism) | |
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Conventional Ethical Relativism (Conventionalism) | |
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A Critique of Ethical Relativism | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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The Case for Moral Objectivism | |
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Natural Law | |
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Moderate Objectivism | |
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An Explanation of the Attraction of Ethical Relativism | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Value: The Quest for the Good | |
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What Types of Value Are There? | |
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What Things Are Good? | |
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Are Values Objective or Subjective? | |
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What Is the Relation of Value to Morality? | |
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What Is the Good Life? | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Egoism, Self-Interest, and Altruism | |
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An Overview of the Problem | |
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Psychological Egoism | |
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Ethical Egoism | |
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A Critique of Ethical Egoism | |
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Attempted Refutations of Egoism | |
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Evolution and Altruism | |
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Egoism and the Problem of Posterity | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Utilitarianism | |
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What Is Utilitarianism? | |
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Two Types of Utilitarianism | |
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The Strengths and Weaknesses of Utilitarianism | |
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External Criticisms of Utilitarianism | |
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Utilitarian Responses to Standard Objections | |
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The Problem of Posterity | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Kantian and Deontological Systems | |
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Two Types of Deontological Systems | |
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Kant's Rule-Deontological System | |
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The Categorical Imperative | |
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Kant's Other Formulations of the Categorical Imperative | |
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Kant's Ethics and Religion | |
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A Reconciliation Project | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Virtue-Based Ethical Systems | |
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The Aretaic Critique of Action-Based (Deontic) Ethical Systems | |
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The Nature of Virtue Ethics | |
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Types of Relationships between Virtue Ethics and Action Ethics | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Why Should I Be Moral? | |
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The Paradox of Morality and Self-Interest | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Religion and Ethics | |
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Does Morality Depend on Religion? | |
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Is Religious Ethics Essentially Different from Secular Ethics? | |
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Is Religion Irrelevant or Even Inimical to Morality? | |
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Does Religion Enhance the Moral Life? | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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The Fact-Value Problem: Metaethics in the 20th century | |
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Nonnaturalism | |
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Emotivism | |
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Prescriptivism | |
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The Renaissance of Naturalism | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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Moral Realism and the Challenge of Skepticism | |
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Mackie's Error Theory of Morality | |
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Harman's Moral Nihilism | |
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Conclusion | |
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For Further Reflection | |
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For Further Reading | |
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A Concluding Reflection: Minimal Morality, Virtue Ethics, and the Development of Character | |
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An Analysis of the Modified Divine Command Theory | |
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A Critique of the Modified Divine Command Theory | |
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How to Read and Write a Philosophy Paper | |
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Suggestions for Reading a Philosophy Text | |
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Suggestions for Writing a Philosophy Paper | |
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Glossary | |
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Index | |