The Puzzle of Ethics

The Puzzle of Ethics
Peter Vardy

A guide to the complex subject of ethics explained in clear and entertaining language. This ebook relates to the 1999 paperback edition.This popular introduction to the subject of ethics poses vital contemporary questions and explores the approach of leading thinkers.The authors take the reader, step by step, through the complex arguments on issues such as animal an human rights, environmental ethics and the morality of war.‘It is a great gift to be able to make philosophy accessible to the general reader. This is a wonderfully clear introduction both to moral philosophy and to contemporary ethical concerns.’David Atkinson, Church Times

Copyright (#ulink_1f5b4e99-3237-5814-aa3f-95c533270527)

Fount Paperbacks is an Imprint of

HarperCollinsReligious

Part of HarperCollinsPublishers

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London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

First published in Great Britain in 1994 by Fount Paperbacks

This revised edition 1999

© 1994, 1999 Peter Vardy and Paul Grosch

Peter Vardy and Paul Grosch assert the moral right to be identified as the authors of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Source ISBN: 9780006281443

Ebook Edition © MARCH 2016 ISBN: 9780007384051

Version: 2016-03-15

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Praise for the first edition of The Puzzle of Ethics (#ulink_2bd6dc3c-af5d-5d10-a3fb-faf56f36a027)

‘A wonderfully clear introduction to moral philosophy and to various topics of contemporary ethical concern … This is a book for which many students and the general reader … will be grateful.’

David Atkinson

‘The great advantage of The Puzzle of Ethics over its rivals is that the authors are so thorough, so balanced and so clear. This is a good book.’

Robin Gill, The Tablet

‘The philosopher of religion and gifted communicator Peter Vardy … and Paul Grosch … provide an accessible, balanced and up to date introduction to moral philosophy.’

The Way

‘This book will fill an irritating gap in the current literature available and provide a valuable resource … Vardy and Grosch are serious commentators who have something to say to the general reader; as with all the Puzzle books, accessibility and clarity are the benchmarks of style.’

Peter Tyler, The Month

Dedication (#ulink_ba1728a6-a9fb-5059-8484-b2997951a997)

To

Lindsay Grosch and Christian Vardy

– Again!

Contents

Cover (#u69324f1a-3b3d-5d2a-9cb8-35bd89dec542)

Title Page (#ub6c9d6ae-ca05-5e76-ae48-7967a7165257)

Copyright (#ulink_85e91d3f-12f3-5b8e-8750-1c6072cfd4a5)

Praise (#ulink_1be57763-9481-5f94-a10d-747739d3c134)

Dedication (#ulink_a9ce6b9e-3e34-5ce2-ad15-f88e492179df)

Acknowledgements (#ulink_d8e02bee-2e72-5adb-b00a-ae47e6f481ad)

PART ONE: THEORETICAL ETHICS (#ulink_49041de2-19d7-59d1-92e4-10a60e969ce0)

1 Setting the Scene (#ulink_01ba2e40-c33a-52c7-ba3f-0390db2115ee)

2 Plato – Virtue and Knowledge (#ulink_b73c4ddf-6e46-5f4d-81a8-52e53ff60271)

3 Aristotle and Virtue Theory (#ulink_0ee4d487-1746-5742-a00d-2079de9d67f8)

4 Aquinas, Natural Law and Proportionalism (#ulink_0f294d92-8a85-5d46-9a62-cf5f65b0c5b2)

5 Kant and the Moral Law (#ulink_adfda4ef-c295-5eea-bdde-52f897a92b19)

6 Bentham and Mill – Utilitarianism (#ulink_7a72ae81-bf90-53df-830f-f7f597a4a88e)

7 Post-utilitarian Perspectives: (#litres_trial_promo)

Intuitionism (#litres_trial_promo)

Emotivism (#litres_trial_promo)

8 MacIntyre – Virtue Theory Revisited (#litres_trial_promo)