[Routledge Companions 01] • The Routledge Companion to Ethics by Skorupski, John -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

ROUTLEDGE PHILOSOPHY COMPANIONS PRAISE FOR THE SERIES

The Routledge Companion to Aesthetics The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science The Routledge Companion to Twentieth Century Philosophy The Routledge Companion to Philosophy and Film The Routledge Companion to Metaphysics

CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS

Figures Tables

CONTRIBUTORS PREFACE Part I HISTORY

1 ETHICAL THOUGHT IN CHINA

The problem of style in Chinese ethical thought The structure of Chinese ethical theories Confucian ethical theory Mohist ethical theory Legalist ethical theory Daoist ethical theory Moral psychology and self-cultivation through spiritual exercise Conclusion References

English translations of early Chinese texts Secondary literature

Further reading

2 ETHICAL THOUGHT IN INDIA

Introduction Castes Kāma, artha, dharma Moksha, Kārma, reincarnation Kārma, jñāna, bhakti: satyagraha Acknowledgments References Further reading

3 SOCRATES AND PLATO

Socrates and Plato distinguished Early, middle, and late dialogues Ethical thought in the early dialogues Ethical thought in the middle and late dialogues Further reading

4 ARISTOTLE

References Further reading

5 LATER ANCIENT ETHICS

Historical and cultural context Epicurean ethics

God presents no fears Death presents no worries Good is readily attainable, and bad is readily endurable

Stoic ethics References Further reading

6 THE ARABIC TRADITION

Intellectualism and “pre-philosophical” ethics Asceticism Spiritual medicine Religion References Further reading

7 EARLY MODERN NATURAL LAW

Early modern versus modern natural law The formation of early modern natural law Hugo Grotius and Thomas Hobbes Baruch Spinoza and Richard Cumberland John Locke and Samuel Pufendorf Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and Christian Wolff Enlightenment rights theory References Further reading

8 HOBBES

Misinterpretations of Hobbes Morality concerned with virtues and vices Rationality and human nature Justification of morality Distinguishing between justice and morality Hobbes’s concept of reason The laws of nature and the right of nature Equality and impartiality Moral argument for obeying the law Morality does not depend on religion References Further reading

9 ETHICS AND REASON

Descartes Spinoza Leibniz References Further reading

10 ETHICS AND SENTIMENT

Introduction Shaftesbury and Hutcheson’s attack of egoism Butler: against egoism, non-committal on sentimentalism vs. rationalism Shaftesbury and Hutcheson on moral rationalism

Shaftesbury and moral rationalism Hutcheson’s arguments against moral rationalism

Conclusion References Further reading

11 HUME

Treatise, Book 3: artificial virtues Treatise, Book 3: natural virtues and natural abilities

An Enquiry concerning the Principles of Morals Hume’s legacy

References Further reading

12 ADAM SMITH

Sympathy Propriety Justice The impartial spectator Utility The Adam Smith problem References Further reading

13 UTILITARIANISM TO BENTHAM

Utility and utilitarianism William Paley Jeremy Bentham References Further reading

14 KANT

A priori method for basic questions The special features of moral judgments Universal law formulas of the categorical imperative The formula of humanity as an end in itself The formulas of autonomy and the kingdom of ends Freedom and arguments for the categorical imperative Justice and the moral obligation to obey the law Ethics and religion References Further reading

15 HEGEL

Some theoretical context of Hegel’s moral philosophy Freedom: legal, personal, moral, and social The structure of Hegel’s analysis in the Philosophy of Right Social freedom and role obligations Individual autonomy and social reconciliation References Further reading

16 JOHN STUART MILL

Act-utilitarianism vs. rule-utilitarianism Consequentialism Qualitative hedonism Sanctions and moral motivation Mill’s “proof” of the principle of utility Mill’s theory of justice and moral rights Mill’s liberalism References Further reading

17 SIDGWICK, GREEN, AND BRADLEY

Bentham’s and Mill’s utilitarianism Sidgwick’s revision of utilitarianism The idealist alternative Objections to idealism Defenses of idealism The idealist contribution to moral theory References Further reading

18 NIETZSCHE

The scope problem Defining morality Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morality The slave revolt in morality Cruelty and bad conscience The ascetic ideal References

19 PRAGMATIST MORAL PHILOSOPHY

I II III IV References

20 EXISTENTIALISM

References Further reading

21 HEIDEGGER

Essence and existence Authenticity Ethics and ontology References Further reading

Part II META-ETHICS

22 ETHICS, SCIENCE, AND RELIGION

Ethics and religion Ethics and science The way forward References

23 FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

The nature of moral responsibility The compatibility question Compatibilist accounts Incompatibilist accounts Is moral responsibility impossible? References Further reading

24 REASONS FOR ACTION

Three overlapping categories of reasons for action Reasons, moral judgments, and motivation The relation between reasons and facts Reasons for action, instrumental beliefs, and action-explaining desires Reasons and the causal explanation of action Reasons and rational action References Further reading

25 THE OPEN QUESTION ARGUMENT

G. E. Moore and Principia Ethica Definitions Supervenience Conclusion References Further reading

26 REALISM AND ITS ALTERNATIVES

(Step 1) Do moral statements have cognitive content? (Step 2) Do at least some moral judgments escape falsity? (Step 3) Is moral language being interpreted literally? (Step 4) Are the truth conditions of moral statements subject-independent? (Step 5) Can moral facts non-trivially explain our moral opinions? Conclusion References Further reading

27 NON-COGNITIVISM

Introduction Emotivism Emotivism and the open question argument Quasi-realism A priori objections to non-cognitivism Towards synthetic non-cognitivism References Further reading

28 ERROR THEORY AND FICTIONALISM

Error theory Arguments for error theories Revolutionary fictionalism Hermeneutic fictionalism Non-cognitivism and error theory References Further reading

29 COGNITIVISM WITHOUT REALISM

References Further reading

30 RELATIVISM

Agent relativism Confusions Appraiser relativism Resolving disagreements References Further reading

Part III IDEAS AND METHODS FROM OUTSIDE ETHICS

31 SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY

References Further reading

32 ETHICS AND PSYCHOLOGY

Internalism, externalism, and empirical inquiry Empirical evidence for internalism Meta-ethics and normative ethics Conclusion References Further reading

33 BIOLOGY

The biology of cooperation Social Darwinism Progress Empirical ethics Foundations? References Further reading

34 FORMAL METHODS IN ETHICS

Deontic logic Measurement theory Decision and game theory Welfare economics and social choice theory References Further reading

35 ETHICS AND LAW

Does law have moral aims? Does law ever form part of morality? Does morality ever form part of law? Does law have an inner morality? Is there a moral obligation to obey the law? References Further reading

Part IV PERSPECTIVES IN ETHICS

36 REASONS, VALUES, AND MORALITY

Morality as a perspective within ethics Moral obligation and reasons Values and morality References Further reading

37 CONSEQUENTIALISM

The definition of consequentialism What makes consequences better or worse? Act-consequentialism: maximizing vs. satisficing vs. scalar Actual vs. expected value of consequences Decision procedures Rule-consequentialism Conclusion References Further reading

38 CONTEMPORARY KANTIAN ETHICS

Introduction: some main themes in Kant’s ethics Kantian moral psychology Kantian approaches to the content of morality Kantian constructivism Kantian approaches to the authority of morality References Further reading

39 ETHICAL INTUITIONISM

The main features of intuitionism Pluralistic intuitionism References Further reading

40 VIRTUE ETHICS

What is virtue ethics? Forms of virtue ethics Problems for contemporary virtue ethics Some comparisons References Further reading

41 CONTRACTUALISM

What is contractualism? Contractualism and the value of human life Morality’s authority and the value of mutual recognition Assessing a principle’s reasonable rejectability The problem of aggregation References Further reading

42 CONTEMPORARY NATURAL LAW THEORY

Resurgence of interest in natural law moral theory and jurisprudence The central role of the human person in natural law theory Differing natural law theories in the contemporary marketplace Natural law, natural rights, and the common good God, theism, and ethical naturalism Natural law discussions in contemporary moral theology A final comment: natural law and Ronald Dworkin References Further reading

43 FEMINIST ETHICS

Common themes Some areas of disagreement Future directions

Women and mainstream moral theorists: blurring the boundaries Feminism and global justice Feminist theories of the good

References Further reading

44 ETHICS AND AESTHETICS

Value in ethics Aesthetic value Art and ethical value Omissions References Further reading

Part V MORALITY

45 MORALITY AND ITS CRITICS

The modern conception of morality Morality’s critics Defending morality References Further reading

46 CONSCIENCE

Puzzles about conscience Two conceptions of conscience Autonomy Conscience and the self The epistemology of conscience Ethics and politics of conscience References Further reading

47 RESPECT AND RECOGNITION

Respect Respect in Kantian ethics Varieties of respect Respect for humanity in persons Fichte: respect as interpersonal; and recognition as fundamental Recognition in Hegel Conclusions References Further reading

48 BLAME, REMORSE, MERCY, FORGIVENESS

Introduction: moral questions about wrongdoing and reconciliation Moral philosophy and the emotions The problem of forgiveness Emotions of condemnation: resentment, indignation, blame Regret, shame and guilt Reparation Conclusion References Further reading

49 EVIL

Evil and moral evil Evil as a special category? Modern analyses of evil The evil character Evil and explanation References Further reading

50 RESPONSIBILITY

In what sense of “responsible”? What counts as a consequence? What is it to be morally responsible for a consequence? How are intention and foresight relevant to moral responsibility? References Further reading

51 RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility Action and omission The disparity thesis rejected The disparity thesis restored? Further reading

52 PARTIALITY AND IMPARTIALITY

Introduction: partiality within different ethical frameworks Partiality versus the ethical perspective? The ethics of self-concern Friends and family Wholesome versus suspect partiality Conclusion References Further reading

53 MORAL PARTICULARISM

Principles and particularisms Arguments for particularism and generalism Recent developments Conclusion References Further reading

Part VI DEBATES IN ETHICS

(i) GOALS AND IDEALS 54 WELFARE

The question of welfare, and its importance The main kinds of answer How should I live my life? References Further reading

55 IDEALS OF PERFECTION

Introduction Moral rules, moral ideals and the second best Ideals and self-sacrifice References Further reading

(ii) JUSTICE 56 RIGHTS

The right to do wrong What’s so special about rights? A typology of rights Moral rights Justifying rights Human rights References Further reading

57 JUSTICE AND PUNISHMENT

Punishment in the perspective of justice Retributive justice Consequentialist and hybrid theories Beyond punishment? Beyond justice? References Further reading

58 JUSTICE AND DISTRIBUTION

Rawls’s “justice as fairness” Libertarian justice Egalitarian justice

Luck egalitarianism Egalitarianism and personal conduct Equality, priority and sufficiency

Pluralist justice References Further reading

(iii) HUMAN LIFE 59 LIFE, DEATH, AND ETHICS

Introduction Death and non-existence The Epicurean argument Lucretius and the mirror of time The conquest of death The ethics of killing References Further reading

60 ENDING LIFE