Understanding Ethics

Introduces students to 8 ethical theories that aim to tell us what we ought to do and why: normative ethics, utilitarianism, egoism, deontological ethics, the ethics of rights, virtue ethics, particularism and ecological ethics.

Uses thought-experiments like the trolley problem to test ethical theoriesMoral questions about what we ought to do and why appear in every part of life. Is it morally acceptable to eat meat? Take flights? Should you be doing something to combat racism, sexism and xenophobia? This textbook introduces you to the most important and influential normative ethical theories that help us navigate the moral maze of modern life: normative ethics, utilitarianism, egoism, deontological ethics, the ethics of rights, virtue ethics, particularism and ecological ethics. Torbjörn Tännsjö carefully describes each theory, putting them into their historical contexts and applying them to contemporary debates. He offers arguments for and against, with a special focus on the counterarguments and the best attempts to meet them.