Contemporary Moral Arguments: Readings in Ethical Issues - Softcover

Vaughn, Lewis

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199922268 ISBN 13: 9780199922260

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2012

Synopsis

Taking a unique approach that emphasizes careful reasoning, this cutting edge reader is structured around twenty seven landmark arguments that have provoked heated debates on current ethical issues. Contemporary Moral Arguments: Readings in Ethical Issues, Second Edition, opens with an extensive two chapter introduction to moral reasoning and moral theories that provides students with the background necessary to analyze the arguments in the following chapters. Chapters 3 12 present seventy six readings that are organized in the conventional way into ten topical areas: abortion; drugs and autonomy (new to this edition); euthanasia and assisted suicide; genetic engineering and cloning; the death penalty; war, terrorism, and torture; pornography; economic justice and health care; animal rights and environmental duties; and global obligations to the poor.

Offering a special feature not found in other anthologies, the selections are also organized in an unconventional way, by argument, so that students can more easily see how philosophers have debated each other on these critical issues. Each argument opens with an introduction that outlines the argument's key points, provides context for it, and reviews some of the main responses to it. Each introduction is followed by two to four essays that present the argument's classic statement, critiques and defenses of it, and related debates.

Contemporary Moral Arguments incorporates more pedagogical features than any other reader, including:

* Essay questions ideal for writing assignments after each of the twenty seven argument sections

* Four types of boxes throughout: Facts and Figures, Public Opinion, Legalities, and Time Lines

* A list of key terms at the end of each chapter, all defined in the glossary, and suggestions for further reading

* An Instructor's Manual and Testbank on CD featuring chapter and reading summaries, lecture outlines in PowerPoint format, and essay and objective questions with an answer key

* A Companion Website at www.oup.com/us/vaughn containing the same material as the Instructor's Manual along with such student resources as self quizzes and flash cards

About this title

About the Author:

Lewis Vaughn is the author or coauthor of several books, including Philosophy Here and Now (2012), Bioethics, Second Edition (2012), The Power of Critical Thinking, Fourth Edition (2012), and Great Philosophical Arguments (2011), all published by Oxford University Press.

Review:

"One of the book's major strengths is the way that it divides the general topics into specific key debates. This allows students to separate the distinct issues associated with the general topics and think more clearly about each specific issue separately. Overall, I would say this is one of the best contemporary moral problems/issues texts that I have come across."--Ken Daley,Southern Methodist University

"This is an excellent introductory ethics textbook. Of particular value are the comprehensive and detailed chapter introductions and the well-selected and edited essays from leading contemporary authors."--Charles R. Carlson, Texas A&M University

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0199922268
• ISBN 13: 9780199922260
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 736