Moral Theory 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb ii 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM ELEMENTS OF PHILOSOPHY The Elements of Philosophy series aims to produce core introductory texts in the major areas of philosophy, among them metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and moral theory, philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, aesthetics and the philosophy of art, feminist philosophy, and social and political philosophy. Books in the series are written for an undergraduate audience of second- through fourth- year students and serve as the perfect cornerstone for understanding the various elements of philosophy. Moral Theory: An Introduction, Second Edition, by Mark Timmons An Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy: A Question-Based Approach by Richard Schmitt Epistemology: Classic Problems and Contemporary Responses, Second Edition, by Laurence BonJour Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art: An Introduction, Second Edition, by Robert Stecker Aesthetics Today: A Reader edited by Robert Stecker and Ted Gracyk Introduction to Ethics: A Reader edited by Andrew J. Dell’Olio and Caroline J. Simon The Ethics of Business: A Concise Introduction by Al Gini and Alexei Marcoux Introduction to the Philosophy of Sport by Heather Reid 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb iiii 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM Moral Theory An Introduction Second Edition Mark Timmons ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD PUBLISHERS, INC. Lanham (cid:129) Boulder (cid:129) New York (cid:129) Toronto (cid:129) Plymouth, UK 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb iiiiii 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM Published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc. 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706 www.rowman.com 10 Thornbury Road, Plymouth PL6 7PP, United Kingdom Copyright © 2013 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Timmons, Mark, 1951- Moral theory : an introduction / Mark Timmons.—2nd ed. p. cm. — (Elements of philosophy) Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN 978-0-7425-6491-6 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-0-7425-6492-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-0-7425-6493-0 (electronic) 1. Ethics. I. Title. BJ1012.T56 2013 171—dc23 2012029760 ™ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992. Printed in the United States of America 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb iivv 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM In loving memory of Marilyn Timmons 1930–2012 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb vv 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb vvii 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM Contents Preface ix Acknowledgments xi 1 An Introduction to Moral Theory 1 2 Divine Command Theory 23 3 Moral Relativism 41 4 Natural Law Theory 71 5 Consequentialism 1: Classical Utilitarianism 111 6 Consequentialism 2: Contemporary Developments 143 7 Ethical Egoism 177 8 Kant’s Moral Theory 205 9 Moral Pluralism 245 10 Virtue Ethics 269 11 Moral Particularism 305 12 Conclusion 331 Appendix: Standards for Evaluating Moral Theories 337 Glossary 339 vii 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb vviiii 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM viii Contents References 351 Index 359 About the Author 367 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb vviiiiii 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM Preface This book is a survey of various moral theories including divine command theory, moral relativism, natural law theory, consequentialism (including classical utili- tarianism), ethical egoism, Kant’s moral theory, moral pluralism, virtue ethics, and moral particularism (though particularism is often considered to be anti-theory). The ten chapters that discuss these theories are preceded by an introduction whose purpose is to expose readers to some basic concepts and ideas common to all or most of the theories featured in the rest of the book. The conclusion ties together certain general themes that emerge from the study of the various theories. My main goal in writing this book is to provide an intermediate-level introduction to moral theory. I have tried to go beyond many introductory ethics texts by delving into some of the complexity involved in debates within and about moral theories. But I have also tried to refrain from too much complexity, as is evident from the many places throughout the text where I cut off discussion of some issue by leaving it for readers to ponder on their own. This text, then, is written for those individu- als who are ready for something more challenging than an elementary treatment of the questions and issues that come up in moral theory but who are not yet ready to tackle advanced research in ethics. Here is what’s new in the second edition: (cid:129) In the decade since the first edition was published, there has been a flourish of work in moral psychology. So I have tried to bring some of this work, as well as work from the sciences generally, to bear on the moral theories discussed in this book. Relatedly, in the “Further Readings” recommendations following the chapters on the various types of moral theory (chapters 2–11), I have divided the recommendations into philosophical literature and empirical literature. ix 1122__336644__TTiimmmmoonnss..iinnddbb iixx 1111//77//1122 88::2222 AAMM