A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox
3rd Edition
Published on 16. November 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
560 pages
978-0-19-975881-4 (ISBN)
Description
Thoroughly optimistic, A 21st Century Ethical Toolbox, Third Edition, invites students to approach ethical issues with a reconstructive intent--to make room for more and better options than the rigid "pro" and "con" positions that have developed around tough problems like abortion and environmental ethics. Employing an accessible, consistently engaging writing style, Anthony Weston covers the skills that are vital to making real progress in ethics,
including critical thinking, creative problem-solving, moral vision, genuine dialogue, and many more. Provocative selections from a wide range of philosophers, essayists, community activists, and students are
interwoven with Weston's own discussions. The text is enhanced by extensive "Exercises and Notes" sections at the end of each chapter, new "Using Your Tools" sections after every two chapters, and a detailed guide for teachers as an appendix. Join instructors and students around the country who are using the experiential and applied activities inspired by this "toolbox" of skills to design interactive and collaborative ethics courses.
including critical thinking, creative problem-solving, moral vision, genuine dialogue, and many more. Provocative selections from a wide range of philosophers, essayists, community activists, and students are
interwoven with Weston's own discussions. The text is enhanced by extensive "Exercises and Notes" sections at the end of each chapter, new "Using Your Tools" sections after every two chapters, and a detailed guide for teachers as an appendix. Join instructors and students around the country who are using the experiential and applied activities inspired by this "toolbox" of skills to design interactive and collaborative ethics courses.
Reviews / Votes
"A highly accessible introduction to basic moral philosophy, particularly applied ethics. Weston effectively shows students how to develop and sustain critical and constructive thinking in ethics in the face of many temptations to follow instinct, plead relativism, or get dogmatic instead. I LOVE the pedagogical tools and extensive resources listed throughout the text and in 'The Toolbox in the Classroom' section at the end."--Karla Pierce, Florida StateCollege at Jacksonville
"What is especially strong about the text is the pedagogy, its tone--which is quite suitable for students new to studying ethics--and its organization. Significant portions are dedicated to establishing how ethics is thought out and how one may integrate one's ethical thinking into one's life."--Kathryn Valdivia, University of San Diego and Cuyamaca College
"I find the book's most attractive features to be its short, readable sections, its optimistic tone, and its attempt to present many sides of a moral issue in a sympathetic light. The pedagogical devices are excellent, and I relied on them extensively in my teaching of the material."--Russell DiSilvestro, California State University, Sacramento
More details
Edition
3rd edition
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
ISBN-13
978-0-19-975881-4 (9780199758814)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Anthony Weston is Professor of Philosophy and Environmental Studies at Elon University. He is the author of twelve other books including A Practical Companion to Ethics, Fourth Edition (2010), Creativity for Critical Thinkers (2007), and Creative Problem-Solving in Ethics (2007), all published by Oxford University Press, and Mobilizing the Green Imagination (2012).
Content
Each chapter ends with "For Review" and "Exercises and Notes" sections.
Preface:
PART I. EMBRACING ETHICS
1. Re-Introducing Ethics
What Is Ethics?
Ethics as a Learning Experience
Readings::
Alice Walker, "Am I Blue?"
Ted Kerasote, from Bloodties: Nature, Culture, and the Hunt
2. Ethics-Avoidance Disorders
Flying by Instinct
Offhand Self-Justification
Dogmatism
Relativism
Using Your Tools #1: "Is Food the New Sex?"
Readings::
Mary Eberstadt, "Is Food the New Sex?"
Maggie Castor, "Food and Sex Reconsidered"
3. Ethics and Religion
An Approach to Religious Ethics
Let the Stories Be Stories
Thinking for Yourself
Reading: Jamal Rahman, "Making Peace with the Sword Verse"
PART II. MORAL VALUES
4. Taking Values Seriously
Varieties of Values
Families of Moral Values
Attending to Values
Reading: Rayna Rapp, "XYLO"
Using Your Tools #2: Values on the Edge
Reading: Edward Abbey, "The Great American Desert"
5. The Ethics of the Person
Valuing Persons
Reading: Philip Hallie, "Le Chambon"
Kant's Categorical Imperative
Reading: Immanuel Kant, from Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals
Rights, Equality, Justice
Reading: from The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
6. The Ethics of Happiness
Happiness
Reading: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, from Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Utilitarianism
Readings::
John Stuart Mill, from Utilitarianism
Bertrand Russell, from "The Harm That Good Men Do"
Can Utility Be the Single Measure of Value?
Using Your Tools #3: A Utilitarian Approach to Poverty
7. The Ethics of Virtue
An Abundance of Virtues
A Greek View of Virtue
Reading: Aristotle, from Nicomachean Ethics
Chinese Views of Virtue
Reading: Lao Tsu, from the Tao Te Ching
Cultivating Virtue
Reading: John Sullivan, from Living Large
8. The Ethics of Relationship
Care Ethics
Reading: Nel Noddings, from Caring
Ethics and Community
Reading: Kwasi Wiredu, from "The Moral Foundations of an African Culture"
The Expanding Circle
Reading: Aldo Leopold, from "The Land Ethic"
Using Your Tools #4: Building a Student Code of Ethics
PART III. SKILLS FOR ETHICAL PRACTICE
9. Critical Thinking
Facts and Sources
Inferences
Definitions
Quick Reference: Critical-Thinking Basics:
10. Judging Like Cases Alike
Consistency Is a Challenge
How to Restore Consistency
Invented Cases
Reading: Colin McGinn, "Speciesism"
Quick Reference: Judging Like Cases Alike:
Using Your Tools #5: Exploring the Welfare Question
11. Dialogue
How to Have a Fruitless Debate
How to Have a Useful Discussion
Readings::
Mary Jacksteit and Adrienne Kaufmann, The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice, "Common Ground Rules"
Spoma Jovanovic, "Deepening Ethical Dialogue"
Quick Reference: Ethical Dialogue:
12. When Values Clash
Right Versus Right
Integrating Values
Big Decisions
Reading: Roger Gottlieb, "Can We Talk? Understanding the 'Other Side' in the Animal Rights Debates"
Quick Reference: When Values Clash:
Using Your Tools #6: "Can We Talk . . . About Marriage?" by Martin Fowler
13. Creative Problem Solving
The Need for Inventiveness in Ethics
Creative Explorations
Creative Provocations
Quick Reference: Creative Problem Solving in Ethics:
14. Reframing Problems
Opening Up a Problem
Reading: Fran Peavey, "Strategic Questioning"
Three Methods
Reframing the Abortion Debate
Quick Reference: Ways to Reframe Problems:
Using Your Tools #7: Reframing Bioethical Issues: Or, Where Ethics Meets Politics
15. Moral Vision
Working from a Vision
Environmental Visions
Reading: Bill Thomas, from What Are Old People For?
Quick Reference: Working from a Vision:
PART IV. CHALLENGES
16. Response-ability
Self-Possession
Sexual Choices
Readings::
Keith Clark, from Being Sexual . . . and Celibate
Carol Queen, from Real Live Nude Girl
Eating
Using Your Tools #8: Personal Ethical Mission Statements by Nim Batchelor
17. Making a Difference
The Power of One
Reading: Ian Frazier, from On the Rez
Becoming a Change-Maker
Communities Making Change
Joining a Change-Making Community
18. The Future of Ethics
Three Doubts About Ethics
Ethics Is Inescapable
Turning Critical
Reading: William McDonough, "Design for a New World"
Using Your Tools #9: Ethical Change Projects
Appendix 1: The Toolbox in the Classroom
Appendix 2: Experiential Teaching in Ethics by Sharon Hartline
Index:
Preface:
PART I. EMBRACING ETHICS
1. Re-Introducing Ethics
What Is Ethics?
Ethics as a Learning Experience
Readings::
Alice Walker, "Am I Blue?"
Ted Kerasote, from Bloodties: Nature, Culture, and the Hunt
2. Ethics-Avoidance Disorders
Flying by Instinct
Offhand Self-Justification
Dogmatism
Relativism
Using Your Tools #1: "Is Food the New Sex?"
Readings::
Mary Eberstadt, "Is Food the New Sex?"
Maggie Castor, "Food and Sex Reconsidered"
3. Ethics and Religion
An Approach to Religious Ethics
Let the Stories Be Stories
Thinking for Yourself
Reading: Jamal Rahman, "Making Peace with the Sword Verse"
PART II. MORAL VALUES
4. Taking Values Seriously
Varieties of Values
Families of Moral Values
Attending to Values
Reading: Rayna Rapp, "XYLO"
Using Your Tools #2: Values on the Edge
Reading: Edward Abbey, "The Great American Desert"
5. The Ethics of the Person
Valuing Persons
Reading: Philip Hallie, "Le Chambon"
Kant's Categorical Imperative
Reading: Immanuel Kant, from Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals
Rights, Equality, Justice
Reading: from The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
6. The Ethics of Happiness
Happiness
Reading: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, from Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Utilitarianism
Readings::
John Stuart Mill, from Utilitarianism
Bertrand Russell, from "The Harm That Good Men Do"
Can Utility Be the Single Measure of Value?
Using Your Tools #3: A Utilitarian Approach to Poverty
7. The Ethics of Virtue
An Abundance of Virtues
A Greek View of Virtue
Reading: Aristotle, from Nicomachean Ethics
Chinese Views of Virtue
Reading: Lao Tsu, from the Tao Te Ching
Cultivating Virtue
Reading: John Sullivan, from Living Large
8. The Ethics of Relationship
Care Ethics
Reading: Nel Noddings, from Caring
Ethics and Community
Reading: Kwasi Wiredu, from "The Moral Foundations of an African Culture"
The Expanding Circle
Reading: Aldo Leopold, from "The Land Ethic"
Using Your Tools #4: Building a Student Code of Ethics
PART III. SKILLS FOR ETHICAL PRACTICE
9. Critical Thinking
Facts and Sources
Inferences
Definitions
Quick Reference: Critical-Thinking Basics:
10. Judging Like Cases Alike
Consistency Is a Challenge
How to Restore Consistency
Invented Cases
Reading: Colin McGinn, "Speciesism"
Quick Reference: Judging Like Cases Alike:
Using Your Tools #5: Exploring the Welfare Question
11. Dialogue
How to Have a Fruitless Debate
How to Have a Useful Discussion
Readings::
Mary Jacksteit and Adrienne Kaufmann, The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice, "Common Ground Rules"
Spoma Jovanovic, "Deepening Ethical Dialogue"
Quick Reference: Ethical Dialogue:
12. When Values Clash
Right Versus Right
Integrating Values
Big Decisions
Reading: Roger Gottlieb, "Can We Talk? Understanding the 'Other Side' in the Animal Rights Debates"
Quick Reference: When Values Clash:
Using Your Tools #6: "Can We Talk . . . About Marriage?" by Martin Fowler
13. Creative Problem Solving
The Need for Inventiveness in Ethics
Creative Explorations
Creative Provocations
Quick Reference: Creative Problem Solving in Ethics:
14. Reframing Problems
Opening Up a Problem
Reading: Fran Peavey, "Strategic Questioning"
Three Methods
Reframing the Abortion Debate
Quick Reference: Ways to Reframe Problems:
Using Your Tools #7: Reframing Bioethical Issues: Or, Where Ethics Meets Politics
15. Moral Vision
Working from a Vision
Environmental Visions
Reading: Bill Thomas, from What Are Old People For?
Quick Reference: Working from a Vision:
PART IV. CHALLENGES
16. Response-ability
Self-Possession
Sexual Choices
Readings::
Keith Clark, from Being Sexual . . . and Celibate
Carol Queen, from Real Live Nude Girl
Eating
Using Your Tools #8: Personal Ethical Mission Statements by Nim Batchelor
17. Making a Difference
The Power of One
Reading: Ian Frazier, from On the Rez
Becoming a Change-Maker
Communities Making Change
Joining a Change-Making Community
18. The Future of Ethics
Three Doubts About Ethics
Ethics Is Inescapable
Turning Critical
Reading: William McDonough, "Design for a New World"
Using Your Tools #9: Ethical Change Projects
Appendix 1: The Toolbox in the Classroom
Appendix 2: Experiential Teaching in Ethics by Sharon Hartline
Index: