Understanding Ethics

We experience unprecedented freedom of moral and consumer choice alongside intrusive regulation of our day-to-day activities. Our major constraints are peculiarly modern—economic expectations, not knowing what to do, or a profound awareness of the impact of our personal and national decisions on others. Understanding Ethics introduces the frameworks of moral philosophy to analyse contemporary moral issues and perennial human dilemmas. While the early chapters, which provide the theory, remain substantially the same, the rest of the book has been expanded from ten chapters to fourteen. Reflecting serious issues of our times, a new chapter on War, Terrorism and Violence has been provided. In addition, Noel Preston has undertaken a complete revision, updating his work to reflect developments in: -Key bioethical issues stell cem research, cloning, and genetic patents genetically modified cropping biodiversity impact on developing countries -Key themes in education and the workplace ethics for teachers and schools ethics of disciplinary processes -Global themes ethics of population and poverty global governance and global citizenship -War, terrorism, and violence capital punishment war, including "just war theory" terrorism and torture) -Environmental themes -Earth Charter and eco justice animal rights ethics, global warming, and energy policy -Sexuality same sex marriage human rights