The Elements of Moral Philosophy

The Elements of Moral Philosophy, Sixth Edition †

哲學基本問題，第6版
James Rachels, Stuart Rachels

Firmly established as the standard text for undergraduate courses in ethics, this concise, lively book takes the reader on an in-depth tour of the major moral theories, always illustrating abstract ideas with concrete examples. Separate, self-contained chapters examine such theories as Egoism, Kantianism, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics, and the Social Contract Theory. Through this conceptual framework, the text addresses timely and provocative issues, including abortion, racism, euthanasia, poverty, marijuana, homosexuality, the death penalty, and vegetarianism. The text's versatility makes it an ideal choice for use not only in ethical theory courses, but also in applied ethics courses of all kinds.

Updated examples and statistics include the most recent available information.
A new section on the ethics of marijuana usage expands coverage of this engaging legal and moral topic, and adds a practical example to the - CHAPTER on Utilitarianism.
Crucial revisions to the sections critiquing radical virtue ethics and the Social Contract Theory greatly improve the philosophical arguments in these discussions.
A new emphasis on recent psychological literature strengthens the quantity and quality of the empirical information considered in the - CHAPTER on "Feminism and the Ethics of Care."
Streamlined content and organization makes the book shorter and more accessible to readers, even while expanding the range and depth of the topics covered.