Understanding Ethics: An Introduction to Moral Theory

This non-technical introduction to ethics explores how we find true or reasonable moral principles, applicable to current concerns and issues. The reader is presented with seven radically different basic moral theories. Each theory attempts to provide an ultimate answer to the question of what ought to be done and why. Each theory is carefully described, put into historical perspective and critically assessed. The theories covered are: utilitarianism, egoism, deontological ethics, the ethics of rights, virtue ethics, feminist ethics, environmental or ecological ethics.