Disputed Moral Issues : A Reader

Ideal for courses in contemporary moral problems, introduction to ethics, and applied ethics, Disputed Moral Issues: A Reader is a comprehensive anthology that brings together sixty-seven engaging articles on a wide range of contemporary moral issues. Carefully selected and edited for an undergraduate audience, the essays are organized into twelve chapters that cover:

* Sexual morality
* Pornography, hate speech, and censorship
* Drugs, gambling, and addiction
* Sexism, racism, and reparation
* Euthanasia and suicide
* Abortion
* Cloning and genetic enhancement
* The death penalty
* War, terrorism, and torture
* World hunger and poverty
* Animals
* The environment

Striking a unique balance between moral theory and applied ethics, editor Mark Timmons provides students with an accessible Moral Theory Primer (Chapter 1), in which he outlines the guiding principles of moral theory, presents six central moral theories, and relates those theories to the issues debated in the articles. Each of the remaining chapters is preceded by an introduction that explains key concepts and shows how theories from the Moral Theory Primer are connected to the arguments presented in that chapter's essays. Each selection is preceded by a brief summary and reader cues, which direct students to a specific section of the Moral Theory Primer in order to best help them understand the essay in question. A "Quick Guide to Moral Theories" appendix, an extensive glossary of key terms, and suggested further readings after each chapter further enhance the text. A "User's Guide," which follows the preface, shows instructors how they can integrate moral theories and applied ethics into their courses.

Mark Timmons is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Arizona.