Description
For undergraduate courses in Ethics, Social Ethics, and Contemporary Moral Problems.
Contemporary Moral Issues: Diversity and Consensus provides a comprehensive selection of readings on contemporary social issues revolving around three general themes: Matters of Life and Death, Matters of Equality and Diversity, and Expanding the Circle (duties beyond borders, living together with animals, and environmental ethics). Each set of readings is accompanied by an extensive introduction, a bibliographical essay, pre-reading questions, and discussion questions.
Table of Contents
Found in this Section:
1. Brief Table of Contents
2. Full Table of Contents
1. BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction: A Pluralistic Approach to Contemporary Moral Issues
An Initial Self-Assessment
General Bibliographical Resources for Ethics
PART I. MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Chapter 1 Choosing Our Children: Genetic Enhancement
Chapter 2 Abortion
Chapter 3 Euthanasia
Chapter 4 Punishment and the Death Penalty
Chapter 5 War, Terrorism, and Counterterrorism
PART II. MATTERS OF DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY
Chapter 6 Race and Ethnicity
Chapter 7 Gender
Chapter 8 Sexual Orientation
PART III. EXPANDING THE CIRCLE
Chapter 9 Living with Scarcity: World Hunger and Poverty
Chapter 10 Living Together With Animals
Chapter 11 Living in the Natural World: Environmental Ethics
Chapter 12 Living in Virtual Space: Cyberethics
2. FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction: A Pluralistic Approach to Contemporary Moral Issues
An Initial Self-Assessment
General Bibliographical Resources for Ethics
PART I. MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Chapter 1: Choosing Our Children: Genetic Enhancement
Experiential Account
*Katy Duke, “A Savior Baby”
*Eva Feder Kittay, “On the Ethics of Selective Abortion for Disability: Conversations with My Son”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
Gregory Stock and Francis Fukuyama, “The Clone Wars.”
*Michael Sandel, “What’s Wrong with Enhancement?”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 2: Abortion
Experiential Account
Ruth Padawer, "The Two-Minus-One Pregnancy"
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
Jane English, “Abortion and the Concept of a Person.”
*Patrick Lee and Robert P. George, “The Wrong of Abortion”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 3: Euthanasia
Narrative Accounts
*Atul Gawande, “Getting Go”
*Susan M. Wolf, “Confronting Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: My Father’s Death”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
James Rachels, “Active and Passive Euthanasia.”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 4: Punishment and the Death Penalty
Narrative Account
Helen Prejean, C.S.J., “Crime Victims on the Anvil of Pain.”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
David Gelernter, “What Do Murderers Deserve? The Death Penalty in Civilized Societies.”
Jeffrey H. Reiman, “Against the Death Penalty.”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 5: War, Terrorism, and Counterterrorism
Narrative Account
*Nancy Sherman, “Soldiers’ Moral Wounds”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
Michael Walzer, “The Argument about Humanitarian Intervention.”
*Stephen L. Carter, “Torture Can Be Wrong and Still Work”
Alan M. Dershowitz, “Is There a Tortuous Road to Justice?”
Martin Cook, “Ethical Issues in Counterterrorism Warfare”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
PART II. MATTERS OF DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY
Chapter 6: Race and Ethnicity
Narrative Account
Gregory Velazco y Trianosky, “Beyond Mestizaje: The Future of Race in America.”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
Howard McGary, “Achieving Democratic Equality: Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Reparations.”
David A. Reidy, “Hate Crimes Laws: Progressive Politics or Balkanization?”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 7: Gender
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
*Kathy Miriam, “Stopping the Traffic in Women”
David Benatar, “The Second Sexism”
Susan Moller Okin, “Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 8: Sexual Orientation
Narrative
*Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Remarks in Recognition of International Human Rights Day.”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
*Martha Nussbaum, “A Right to Marry? Same—sex Marriage and Constitutional Law."
James Q. Wilson, “Against Homosexual Marriage.”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
PART III. EXPANDING THE CIRCLE
Chapter 9: Living with Scarcity: World Hunger and Poverty
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
Garrett Hardin, “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case against Helping the Poor.”
*Thomas Pögge, “The Moral Demands of Global Justice”
Michael Walzer, “Achieving Global and Local Justice”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 10: Living Together With Animals
Narrative Account
*Jonathan Foer, “Eating Animals”
Peter Singer, “Down on the Factory Farm.”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
Tom Regan, “The Case for Animal Rights.”
Carl Cohen, “The Case for the Use of Animals in Biomedical Research.”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 11: Living in the Natural World: Environmental Ethics
Narrative Account
*Edward O. Wilson, “Apocalypse Now. A Scientist’s Plea for Christian Environmentalism.”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
Holmes Rolston III, “Challenges in Environmental Ethics.”
Peter S. Wenz, “Just Garbage.”
Ramachandra Guha, “Radical American Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation: A Third World Critique.”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
Chapter 12: Living in Virtual Space: Cyberethics
Narrative Account
Joseph Menn, “Hackers Live by Own Code.”
An Introduction to the Moral Issues
The Arguments
*Luciano Floridi, “The Ethical Evaluation of WikiLeaks”
James M. Moor, “Should We Let Computers Get Under Our Skins?”
Frances S. Grodzinsky and Herman T. Tavani, “Ethical Reflections on Cyberstalking.”
Richard A. Spinello, “Ethical Reflections on the Problem of Spam.”
Concluding Discussion Questions
For Further Reading
*Indicates new to the 4th edition
Purchase Info 
With CourseSmart eTextbooks and eResources, you save up to 60% off the price of new print textbooks, and can switch between studying online or offline to suit your needs.
Once you have purchased your eTextbooks and added them to your CourseSmart bookshelf, you can access them anytime, anywhere.
Contemporary Moral Issues: Diversity and Consensus, CourseSmart eTextbook, 4th Edition
Format: Electronic Book
$40.99 | ISBN-13: 978-0-205-84941-3
