Contemporary Moral ProblemsPage | 3
Chapter 1: James Rachels: Egoism and Moral Scepticism
Library Reference:
N/A
Amazon Reference:
http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534584306/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233793391&sr=8-1
Quote:
"We should consider everyone who is capable of suffering, including nonhuman animals."
What I expect to learn:
I expect to learn Egoism and Moral Scepticism and the basic concepts of the different EthicalTheories in this book.
Book Review:
“James Rachels, the distinguished American moral philosopher, was born in Columbus,Georgia, in 1941 and graduated from Mercer University in 1962. He received his Ph.D. in 1967 fromthe University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Rachels's best-known work is The Elements of MoralPhilosophy. It went to its fifth edition in 2007, having been revised by Rachels's son, Stuart Rachels.Among the subjects covered are ethical and simple subjectivism, emotivism, as well as ethical andpsychological egoism, to name but a few. The text uses real-world examples to highlight pointsregarding complicated philosophical principles. Rachels had a history of using such examples. Thepublication in 1971 of his anthology Moral Problems marked a shift from teaching meta-ethics inAmerican colleges to teaching concrete practical issues. Moral Problems sold 100,000 copies overthree editions.” (Wikipedia. Retrieved Febrauary 8, 2009, http://en.wikipedia.org/James_Rachels)James Rachels says that Psychological Egoism lets us understands that we can actunselfishly because we are doing our action based on what we know is right for us and for others.While Ethical Egoism is saying that everyone has its own rational self-interest and that is what is goodfor them or us.James Rachels argued that psychological egoism is false and confused. He said that it isfalse because we can act in a way we can we unselfish and not self-intent. Rachels detects to placeconfusions in psychological egoism because it states that you are doing things for others. Rachelssays that helping others it gives us the feeling of fulfillness and by doing that also gives us theknowledge that we are going to have in immersing in that kind of activity.I believe that Rachels is capable enough to teach or to write ethics and spread it to the world.
What I learned:
I learned the different concepts of the different ethical theories and psychological egoism andEthical Egoism.
Review Questions:
1. Explain the legend of Gyges. What questions about morality are raised by the story?• Gypes is a magical being and by having it it gives them the opportunity to be more superior to theothers. That power made them dark and abusive to other people.
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