"The Elements of Moral Philosophy", 2/e, offers an introduction to the major philosophical theories of morality, explaining why each theory has been accepted by some thinkers but rejected by others. To illustrate the theories, and to reveal their implications, important issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the treatment of non-human animals and famine relief are discussed in depth. With the second edition comes a new chapter on virtue ethics, a section on the Prisoner's Dilemma in the chapter on social contrast theory, and an updated case study on Baby Jane Doe.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 What is morality?: the problem of definition, an example of moral reasoning - Baby Jane Doe; reason and impartiality; the minimum conception of morality. Part 2 The challenge of cultural relativism: how different cultures have different moral codes; cultural relativism; the cultural differences argument; the consequences of taking cultural relativism seriously; why there is less disagreement than it seems; how all cultures have some values in common; what can be learned from cultural relativism. Part 3 Subjectivism in ethics: the basic idea of ethical subjectivism; the evolution of the theory; the first stage - simple subjectivism; the second stage - emotivism, reason, moral fact; the example of homosexuality. Part 4 Does morality depend on religion?: the presumed connection between morality and religion; the divine command theory; the theory of natural law; Christianity and the problem of abortion. Part 5 Psychological egoism: is unselfishness possible?; the strategy of reinterpreting motives; two arguments in favour of psychological egoism; clearing away some confusions; the deepest error in psychological egoism. Part 6 Ethical egoism: is there a duty to contribute for famine relief?; three arguments in favour of ethical egoism; three arguments against ethical egoism. Part 7 The utilitarian approach: the revolution in ethics; first example - euthanasia; second example - nonhuman animals. Part 8 The debate over utilitarianism: the resilience of the theory; is happiness the only thing that matters?; are consequences all that matter?; the defence of utilitarianism; what is correct and what is incorrect in utilitarianism. Part 9 Are there absolute moral rules?: Kant and the categorical imperative; absolute rules and the duty not to lie; conflicts between rules; another look at Kant's basic ideas. Part 10 Kant and respect for persons: the idea of "human dignity"; retribution and utility in the theory of punishment; Kant's retributivism. Part 11 The idea of a social contract: Hobbes' argument; the Prisoner's Dilemma; some advantages of the social contract theory of morals; the problem of civil disobedience; difficulties for the theory. Part 12 The ethics of virtue: the ethics of virtue and the ethics of right action; should we return to the ethics of virtue?; the virtues; some advantages of virtue ethics; the incompleteness of virtue ethics. Part 13 What would a satisfactory moral theory be like?: morality without hubris; the moral community; justice and fairness.