The Fundamentals of Ethics

An exceptionally clear, compact, and affordable introduction to a broad range of ethical theoriesIn 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 EDITIONNearly 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 willA new Chapter 22, Is Moral Knowledge Possible? Five Skeptical Arguments, introduces moral skepticismSubstantial 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.This title is available as an eBook. Please contact your Learning Resource Consultant for more information.