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Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.

Print Price: $170.99

Format:
Paperback
864 pp.
5.5" x 8.25"

ISBN-13:
9780190670290

Copyright Year:
2018

Imprint: OUP US


Exploring Moral Problems

An Introductory Anthology

Steven M. Cahn and Andrew T. Forcehimes

Exploring Moral Problems is an up-to-date inclusive collection of readings on contemporary moral problems, covering both standard issues and often-neglected topics. Each reading has been expertly edited to make them accessible to students with no prior exposure to philosophy.

Readership : This text is for first- and second-year students of philosophy in introduction to ethics courses.

Reviews

  • "Exploring Moral Problems is of very high quality, with many excellent readings and a very broad selection of topics. In addition, there have been strong efforts to include more women's voices."
    --Todd Stewart, Illinois State University

  • "Exploring Moral Problems includes readings on a wide array of topics in applied ethics, many of which are more contemporary than those found in other textbooks."
    --Hans Pedersen, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

PART I. INTRODUCTION
Andrew T. Forcehimes, Ethical Theories and Their Application
PART II. INTRODUCTORY READINGS
A. Challenges to Ethical Theory
Mary Midgley, Moral Isolationism
James Rachels, Egoism and Moral Scepticism
Steven M. Cahn, God and Morality
B. Varieties of Ethical Theory
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
Immanuel Kant, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals
John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism
Julia Driver, Virtue Ethics
Virginia Held, The Ethics of Care
John Finnis, Natural Law
C. Good Lives
Richard Taylor, The Meaning of Life
Susan Wolf, Meaning In Life
Christine Vitrano, Meaningful Lives
PART III. THE LIMITS OF LAW
A. Free Speech
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty
Miles Unterreiner, Limiting Free Speech
Charles R. Lawrence III, Regulating Racist Speech on Campus
Martin P. Golding, Campus Speech Restrictions
B. Prostitution
Elizabeth Anderson, Value and the Gift of Sexuality
Martha C. Nussbaum, Taking Money for Bodily Services
Debra Satz, Markets in Women's Sexual Labor
C. Organ Sales
Sarah McGrath, Organ Procurement, Altruism, and Autonomy
Simon Rippon, The Harm of a Live Donor Organ Market
Luke Semrau, A Reply to Rippon
D. Pornography
Helen E. Longino, Pornography, Oppression, and Freedom
Joel Feinberg, The Case Against Pornography
E. Drug Legalization
Douglas N. Husak, Three Points about Drug Decriminalization
George Sher, On the Decriminalization of Drugs
F. Gun Control
Samuel C. Wheeler III, Arms as Insurance
David DeGrazia, Handguns, Moral Rights, and Physical Security
PART IV. ULTIMATE HARMS
A. Terrorism
Michael Walzer, Terrorism
Lionel K. McPherson, Is Terrorism Distinctly Wrong?
B. Torture
Henry Shue, Torture
Alan Dershowitz,The Case for Torturing the Ticking Time Bomb Terrorist
Jessica Wolfendale, Training Torturers
C. Capital Punishment
Walter Berns, The Morality of Capital Punishment
Stephen Nathanson, The Death Penalty as a Symbolic Issue
PART V. JUSTICE
A. Distributive Justice
John Rawls, A Theory of Justice
Robert Nozick, The Entitlement Theory
B. Immigration
David Miller, Immigration: The Case for Limits
Michael Huemer, Is There a Right to Immigrate?
C. Injustice
Kwame Anthony Appiah, Racisms
Ann E. Cudd and Leslie E. Jones, Sexism
Iris Marion Young, Five Faces of Oppression
D. Reparations
Bernard R. Boxill, The Morality of Reparation
Chandran Kukathas, Reparations and the Problem of Agency
E. Affirmative Action
Steven M. Cahn, Two Concepts of Affirmative Action
Karen Hanson, Facing Facts and Responsibilities
Laurence Thomas, What Good Am I?
Celia Wolf-Devine, Proportional Representation
PART VI. SEX
A. Sex and Consent
Sarah Conly, Seduction, Rape, and Coercion
Scott A. Anderson, Sex Under Pressure
B. Sexual Harassment
N. Ann Davis, Sexual Harassment in the University
Margaret A. Crouch, Sexual Harassment in Public
PART VII. THE FAMILY
A. Marriage
Elizabeth Brake, Minimal Marriage
Ralph Wedgwood, Is Civil Marriage Illiberal?
Bonnie Steinbock, Adultery
B. Parents and Children
Jane English, What do Grown Children Owe Their Parents?
Joseph Kupfer, Can Parents and Children Be Friends?
Simon Keller, Four Theories of Filial Duty
PART VIII. THE LIMITS OF LIFE
A. Abortion
Judith Jarvis Thomson, A Defense of Abortion
Mary Anne Warren, On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion
Don Marquis, Why Aborion is Immoral
Amy Berg, Abortion and Miscarriage
B. Genetic Choices
Laura M. Purdy, Can Having Children Be Immoral?
Simo Vehmas, Parents and Genetic Information
Julian Savulescu, Procreative Beneficence
Michael J. Sandel The Case against Perfection
C. Euthanasia
James Rachels, Active and Passive Euthanasia
Philippa Foot, Killing and Letting Die
PART IX. OBLIGATIONS TO OTHERS
A. World Hunger
Peter Singer, Famine, Affluence, and Morality
Travis Timmerman, A Reply to Singer
B. Animals
Peter Singer, Equality for Animals
Bonnie Steinbock, Speciesism and the Idea of Equality
Tom Regan, The Case for Animal Rights
Mary Anne Warren, Speaking of Animal Rights
C. The Environment
Elliot Sober, Philosophical Problems for Environmentalism
John Broome, The Ethics of Climate Change
APPENDIX: PUZZLES TO PONDER
A. Judith Jarvis Thomson, The Trolley Problem
B. Steven M. Cahn, The Altruism Puzzle
C. Derek Parfit, The Non-Identity Problem
D. Steven M. Cahn, The Divestiture Puzzle
Glossary

Instructor Resources
Ancillary Resource Center (ARC):
- Test Bank
- PowerPoint slides
- Instructor's Manual:
-- Chapter summaries
-- Teaching strategies
-- Sample test questions and activities
Course Cartridges
- The test bank and Companion Website materials can be uploaded into any Learning Management System for auto-grading
Student Resources
- Self-quizzes
- Vocabulary flashcards
- Useful links

Steven M. Cahn is Professor of Philosophy at The City University of New York Graduate Center. He is the author or editor of more than fifty books. Most recently, he authored Religion Within Reason (2017). Dr. Cahn is the editor of Exploring Ethics (OUP, 2016) and The World of Philosophy (OUP, 2015).

Andrew T. Forcehimes is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He has published articles in Ethics, Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, Utilitas, and Res Publica. He is the coeditor, with Steven M. Cahn, of Foundations of Moral Philosophy and Principles of Moral Philosophy, both published by Oxford University Press in 2016.

Making Sense - Margot Northey and Joan McKibbin
Ethical Choices - Richard Burnor and Yvonne Raley
Principles of Moral Philosophy - Edited by Steven M. Cahn and Andrew T. Forcehimes
The Fundamentals of Ethics - Russ Shafer-Landau
The Ethical Life - Russ Shafer-Landau

Special Features

  • Carefully edited for clarity and accessibility, each selection focuses readers on the key arguments within.
  • Wide-ranging coverage, including often-neglected topics such as gun control, prostitution, sexual harassment, sex and consent, racism, reparations, and organ sales, provides instructors with flexibility.
  • Unparalleled representation of women philosophers - with one-third of the contemporary articles authored or coauthored by women - gives students a broader and more balanced view of the field.
  • Introductions and study questions are included with each selection to help orient students to the material.