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Ethics
Theory and
Contemporary Issues
Ninth Edition

Barbara MacKinnon
University of San Francisco, Professor of Philosophy, Emerita

Andrew Fiala
California State University, Fresno, Professor of Philosophy

Australia • Brazil • Mexico • Singapore • United Kingdom • United States

Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues, © 2018, 2015, 2012 Cengage Learning
Ninth Edition
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 Contents

Preface ix Ethics, Religion, and Divine

History of Ethics Time Line xiii Command Theory 25
Pluralism and the Golden Rule 28
The Problem of Evil and Free
Part One ETHICAL THEORY 1
Will 29
Secular Ethics and Toleration 31
—1— Ethics and Ethical Criticisms of Secularism and Global
Reasoning 1 Ethics 32
Why Study Ethics? 1 READING Euthyphro • Plato 35
What Is Ethics? 2 Letter to a Christian Nation • SAM
HARRIS 38
Ethical and Other Types
Religion and Truth • Mohandas K.
of Evaluation 3 Gandhi 39
Sociobiology and the Naturalistic
Fallacy 5 Review Exercises 42
Ethical Terms 6
Ethics and Reasons 7 —3— Ethical Relativism 44
Intuitionism, Emotivism,
Subjectivism, Objectivism 7 Descriptive versus Normative
Ethical Reasoning and Ethical Relativism 45
Arguments 9 Individual versus Cultural
The Structure of Ethical Reasoning Relativism 46
and Argument 9 Strong and Weak Relativism 47
Evaluating and Making Good Reasons Supporting Ethical
Arguments 10 Relativism 48
Ethical Theory 11 The Diversity of Moral Views 48
Types of Ethical Theory 12 Tolerance and
Can Ethics Be Taught? 13 Open-Mindedness 48
Moral Uncertainty 48
READING Ethical Judgments and Matters of Situational Differences 48
Fact • David Hume 14
Emotivism and Ethics • Are These Reasons
C. L. Stevenson 15 Convincing? 49
Review Exercises 19 The Diversity of Moral Views 49
Tolerance and
Open-Mindedness 50
—2— Religion and Global Moral Uncertainty 50
Ethics 20 Situational Differences 50
Is Relativism
Freedom, Cosmopolitanism, and the Self-Contradictory? 51
European Enlightenment 22 Moral Realism 52
Religion, Civic Life, and Civil Moral Pluralism 53
Disobedience 24

iii ❮❮

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iv CONTENTS

READING Who’s to Judge? • Louis Pojman 55 —6— Deontological Ethics and

Relativism and Its Benefits • John Immanuel Kant 114
Lachs 62
Review Exercises 67 Deontology and the Ethics of
Duty 115
Immanuel Kant 117
—4— Egoism, Altruism, and the What Is the Right Motive? 117
Social Contract 68 What Is the Right Thing to Do? 118
Psychological Egoism 71 The Categorical Imperative 119
What Is Psychological Egoism? 71 The First Form 120
Is Psychological Egoism True? 72 The Second Form 121
Ethical Egoism 73 Evaluating Kant’s Moral
Theory 122
What Is Ethical Egoism? 73
Is Ethical Egoism a Good The Nature of Moral
Theory? 73 Obligation 122
The Social Contract 75 The Application of the Categorical
Imperative 122
The Moral Point of View 76 Duty 123
Why Be Moral? 77 Moral Equality and Impartiality 123
READING The Ring of Gyges • Plato 79 Perfect and Imperfect Duties 124
Self Love • Thomas Hobbes 85 Variations on Kant and
The Social Contract and Deontology 125
Altruism • Steven Pinker 88
READING Fundamental Principles of the
Review Exercises 92 Metaphysic of Morals • Immanuel
Kant 126
—5— Utilitarianism Review Exercises 137
and John Stuart Mill 93
Weighing Consequences 95 —7— Natural Law and Human
Historical Background 96 Rights 138
Jeremy Bentham and John Natural Law Theory 140
Stuart Mill 96 Historical Origins 141
The Principle of Utility 97 Evaluating Natural Law
Pleasure and Happiness 97 Theory 143
Calculating the Greatest Amount of Natural Rights 145
Happiness 98 Evaluating Natural Rights
Quantity versus Quality Theory 146
of Pleasure 100 Is There a Human Nature? 147
Evaluating Utilitarianism 101 READING On Natural Law • Thomas
Application of the Principle 101 Aquinas 149
Utilitarianism and Personal Second Treatise of Civil
Integrity 101 Government • John Locke 151
Ends and Means 102
Review Exercises 154
The Trolley Problem 102
Act and Rule Utilitarianism 103
“Proof” of the Theory 105 —8— Virtue Ethics 155
READING Utilitarianism • John Stuart Mill 107 Virtues and Everyday Life 156
Review Exercises 112 Aristotle 157

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Virtue as a Mean 158
Nature, Human Nature, and the
Human Good 158
Cross-Cultural and Contemporary
Virtue Ethics 160
Evaluating Virtue Ethics 161
READING The Nicomachean
Ethics • Aristotle 163
Review Exercises 170
—9— Feminist Thought and
the Ethics of Care 171
Gender in Moral Reasoning and the
Ethics of Care 174
Is There a Gender Difference in
Morality? 176
The Source of Feminine
Morality 177
Evaluating Gender-Specific
Approaches to Morality 178
Feminist Thought 179
Evaluation of Feminist Thought
and the Ethics of Care 181
READING Caring • Nel Noddings 184
The Need for More Than
Justice • Annette Baier 185
What Is Feminist Ethics? • Hilde
Lindemann 192
Review Exercises 198
Part Two ETHICAL ISSUES
—10— Euthanasia 199
Euthanasia for Infants
and the Disabled 201
Criteria for Death 203
Types of Euthanasia 206
Active and Passive
Euthanasia 206
Voluntary, Nonvoluntary, and
Involuntary Euthanasia 207
Advance Directives 208
Physician-Assisted Suicide 209
Pain Medication and Palliative
Sedation 211
Ordinary and Extraordinary
Measures 212
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CONTENTS v
Combining the Types of
Euthanasia 213
Making Moral Judgments About
Euthanasia 214
The Moral Significance of
Voluntariness 214
Active versus Passive
Euthanasia 216
READING The Wrongfulness of Euthanasia •
J. Gay-Williams 221
Active and Passive Euthanasia • James
Rachels 224
Review Exercises 228
Discussion Cases 230
—11— Abortion 231
Stages of Fetal Development 233
Methods of Abortion 235
Abortion and the Law 237
Abortion: The Moral Question 240
Arguments That Do Not Depend
on the Moral Status of the
Fetus 240
Utilitarian Reasoning 240
Some Rights Arguments 241
Arguments That Depend on
the Moral Status of the
Fetus 242
Method I 242
Method II 245
199 READING A Defense of Abortion • Judith Jarvis
Thomson 251
Why Abortion Is Immoral • Don
Marquis 252
The Value of Choice and the Choice
to Value: Expanding the Discussion
About Fetal Life within Prochoice
Advocacy • Bertha Alvarez
Manninen 261
Review Exercises 275
Discussion Cases 276
—12— Sexual Morality 278
Current Issues 280
Conceptual Problems: What Is and
Is Not Sexual 285
vi CONTENTS
Relevant Factual Matters 286
Sexual Morality and Ethical
Theories 287
Consequentialist or Utilitarian
Considerations 287
Non-consequentialist
or Deontological
Considerations 288
Natural Law Considerations 289
Same-Sex Marriage 291
READING U.S. Supreme Court Decision June 26,
2015 • Obergefell v. Hodges 296
Law, Morality, and “Sexual
Orientation” • John Finnis 298
“It’s Not Natural” • John Corvino 306
Review Exercises 307
Discussion Cases 308
—13— Equality and
Discrimination 309
Discrimination 310
Racial Discrimination 311
The Principle of Equality 316
Justice 316
Social Benefits and Harms 316
Proof and Reality of
Difference 316
Relevant Differences 317
Challenges to the Principle 318
Current Issues and the Law
Profiling 322
Hate Crimes 324
Affirmative Action and Preferential
Treatment 325
Consequentialist
Considerations 326
Non-consequentialist
Considerations 328
READING Five Faces of Oppression • Iris Marion
Young 333
Racisms • Kwame Anthony
Appiah 334
White Privilege, Black Rights • Naomi
Zack 335
Review Exercises 342
Discussion Cases 343
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—14— Economic Justice 344
Economic Inequality 346
Poverty, Education, and Health
Care 349
Conceptions of Social Justice 350
Process Distributive Justice 352
End-State Distributive
Justice 353
Equal Opportunity 354
Political and Economic
Theories 356
Libertarianism 356
Capitalism 357
Socialism 357
Modern Liberalism 359
John Rawls’s Theory of Justice 360
Communitarianism 363
READING Justice as Fairness • John Rawls 367
Distributive Justice • Robert
Nozick 368
Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal • Ayn
Rand 369
Evangelii Gaudium • Pope
Francis 370
Review Exercises 373
Discussion Cases 374
—15— Punishment
and the Death Penalty 375
The Nature of Legal
320 Punishment 377
The Deterrence Argument 378
The Retributivist Argument 379
Punishment and
Responsibility 381
Prisons 383
Race 384
Restoration and Rehabilitation 385
The Death Penalty 386
Legal Issues 386
Exonerations 388
Racial Bias and Fairness 388
Costs 389
Deterrence Considerations 390
Retributivist Considerations 391
Mercy and Restorative Justice 392
Humane Executions 394
 CONTENTS vii

READING The New Jim Crow • Michelle Approaches to Animal Ethics 468
Alexander 400 Sentience, Equal Consideration,
Are Prisons Obsolete? • Angela Y. and Animal Welfare 469
Davis 401 Animal Rights 472
Speech in Favor of Capital Punishment
(1868) • John Stuart Mill 402 READING All Animals Are Equal • Peter
A Theory of Just Execution • Lloyd Singer 477
Steffen 406 The Case for Animal Rights • Tom
Regan 486
Review Exercises 415 Speciesism and the Idea of
Discussion Cases 416 Equality • Bonnie Steinbock 487
Review Exercises 488
—16— Environmental Ethics 417 Discussion Cases 489

The Environment and Its

Value 419 —18— Biotechnology and
Anthropocentrism 420 Bioengineering 490
Cost–Benefit Analysis 421 Current Issues 492
Environmental Justice 422
Athletic and Cognitive
Ecocentrism 423 Enhancement 492
Deep Ecology 425 Stem Cell Research 493
Ecofeminism 426 Cloning 495
Genetic Engineering and Genetic
Current Issues 427
Screening 496
Climate Change 427 Genetically Modified Plants and
Ozone Depletion 431 Animals 499
Waste Disposal and
Pollution 431 Legal and Ethical Issues 500
Wilderness Preservation 433 Athletic and Cognitive
International Environmental Enhancement 501
Conventions 434 Stem Cell Research 502
Global Justice and the Tragedy of the Cloning 503
Commons 435 Genetic Engineering and Genetic
READING People or Penguins: The Case for Screening 506
Optimal Pollution • William F. Genetically Modified Organisms 509
Baxter 442 READING Transhumanist Declaration • Various
Deep Ecology • Bill Devall and George Authors 514
Sessions 443 Ageless Bodies, Happy Souls • Leon R.
Radical American Environmentalism Kass 515
and Wilderness Preservation: A Third In Defense of Posthuman
World Critique • Ramachandra Dignity • Nick Bostrom 525
Guha 449 Review Exercises 526
Review Exercises 455 Discussion Cases 527
Discussion Cases 456
—19— Violence and War 528
—17— Animal Ethics 457 Realism 531
Current Issues 460 Pacifism 533
Moral Vegetarianism 460 Just War Theory 534
Animal Experimentation 463 Jus ad Bellum 534
Endangered Species 466 Jus in Bello 536

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viii CONTENTS

Current Issues 538 Justice 565

Terrorism 538 Rights 567
Targeted Killing and Drones 540 Practical Considerations 568
Weapons of Mass Global Inequality 568
Destruction 542 Levels of International Aid 569
War Crimes and Universal Human Causes of Global Poverty 570
Rights 544 Solutions and Progress 573
Torture 546
Globalization and Its Critics 573
READING Peace • Andrew Fitz-Gibbon 548
The Triumph of Just War Theory (and Economic Impacts 574
the Dangers of Success) • Michael Cultural Diversity 575
Walzer 554 READING The Singer Solution to World
Review Exercises 558 Poverty • Peter Singer 580
Discussion Cases 559
Living on a Lifeboat • Garrett
Hardin 584
Review Exercises 591
Discussion Cases 592
—20— Global Justice and
Globalization 560
Moral Arguments About Global
GLOSSARY 593
Poverty 563
Self-Interest 565 INDEX 603

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This ninth edition of Ethics: Theory and Contem-
porary Issues contains a substantial revision of the
text and extensive update of the empirical mate-
rial contained in the chapters focused on contem-
porary issues. Andrew Fiala joined as coauthor on
the eighth edition. In the ninth edition, we have
included new learning apparatus, especially tables
that outline possible moral positions with regard
to the issues considered. As in past editions, each
chapter begins with a detailed, accessible intro-
duction that prepares the student to read accom-
panying selections from important and influential
philosophers. The book remains a comprehensive
introduction to ethics in theory and practice. It also
continues to emphasize pedagogy through clear
summaries, engaging examples, and various study
tools—such as review exercises and discussion
cases. Each chapter begins with a list of learning
objectives, and the book ends with an extensive
glossary of key terms.
ADDITIONS AND CHANGES
Although the basic elements remain the same, this
new ninth edition includes the following additions
and changes from the eighth edition. Each chapter
in Part I has been revised to focus on readability. All
introductory and empirical material in each chapter
in Part II has been updated to incorporate the latest
information about contemporary issues and current
affairs. These updates include recent statistics, rel-
evant cases, and contemporary examples.
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
Preface
This edition offers expanded and continued cov-
erage of the following topics: global (non-Western)
philosophy and religion, the prisoner’s dilemma
and the tragedy of the commons, social justice and
economic inequality, mass incarceration and decar
decar-
ceration, restorative justice, environmental justice,
biotechnology and bioengineering, gene editing,
vegetarianism and the ethics of hunting, circuses,
race and racism, pacifism, gay marriage, global pov-
erty, LGBT and transgender issues, Black Lives Mat-
ter, Syrian refugees, the precautionary principle, and
climate change. This edition includes some famil-
iar readings from previous editions and some new
additions. In some cases, older readings have been
shortened to make room for new readings and short
excerpts by a more diverse set of authors, includ-
ing some emerging voices. New readings include:
John Lachs on relativism, Hilde Lindemann on femi-
nism, a new essay on abortion by Bertha Alvarez
Manninen, U.S. Supreme Court Obergefell Deci-
sion, Naomi Zack on Black Lives Matter, Iris Marion
Young’s “Five Faces of Oppression,” Pope Francis
and Ayn Rand on economic issues, Michelle Alex-
ander on the New Jim Crow, Tom Regan on ani-
mal rights, the Transhumanist declaration, Andrew
Fitz-Gibbon on peace, and Garret Hardin on global
poverty.
Key Elements
Each chapter of Ethics: Theory and Contempo-
rary Issues contains an extended summary of key
ix ❮❮
x PREFACE
concepts and issues written in clear, accessible prose.
These detailed summaries go beyond the short intro-
ductions found in most ethics anthologies to provide
students with a thorough grounding in the theory
and practical application of philosophical ethics.
As previously noted, these discussions have been
thoroughly updated to include detailed information
on current events, statistics, and political and cul-
tural developments.
The theory chapters in Part I present detailed
summaries of the theories and major concepts, posi-
tions, and arguments. The contemporary issues
chapters in Part II include summaries of:
❯ current social conditions and recent events, with
special emphasis on their relevance to students’
lives
❯ conceptual issues, such as how to define key
words and phrases (for example, cloning,
cloning
terrorism, and distributive justice)
❯ arguments and suggested ways to organize an
ethical analysis of each topic
❯ tables outlining possible moral positions, linked
to normative theories and key authors.
Throughout this text, we seek to engage read-
ers by posing challenging ethical questions and then
offering a range of possible answers or explanations.
The aim is to present more than one side of each issue
so that students can decide for themselves what posi-
tion they will take. This also allows instructors more
latitude to emphasize specific arguments and con-
cepts and to direct the students’ focus as they see fit.
Where possible throughout the text, the rela-
tion of ethical theory to the practical issues is indi-
cated. For example, one pervasive distinction used
throughout the text is between consequentialist and
non-consequentialist considerations and arguments.
The idea is that if students are able to first situate
or categorize a philosophical reason or argument,
then they will be better able to evaluate it critically
in their thinking and writing. Connections to related
concepts and issues in other chapters are also high-
lighted throughout the text to help students note
similarities and contrasts among various ethical
positions.
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
Pedagogical Aids This text is designed as an acces-
sible, “user-friendly” introduction to ethics. To aid both
instructor and student, we have provided the following
pedagogical aids:
❯ a list of learning objectives at the beginning of
each chapter (new to this edition)
❯ a real-life event, hypothetical dialogue, or
updated empirical data at the beginning of each
chapter
❯ diagrams, subheadings, and boldface key terms
and definitions that provide guideposts for read-
ers and organize the summary exposition
❯ study questions for each reading selection
❯ review exercises at the end of each chapter that
can be used for exams and quizzes
❯ a glossary of definitions of key terms (new to
this edition)
❯ discussion cases that follow each chapter in
Part II and provide opportunities for class or
group discussion
❯ topics and resources for written assignments in
the discussion cases
❯ tables outlining moral positions (new to this
edition).
A Digital Solution for Students and
Instructors:
MindTap for Philosophy for Ethics: Theory and
Contemporary Issues is a personalized, online
digital learning platform providing students with an
immersive learning experience that builds critical
thinking skills. Through a carefully designed chapter-
based learning path, MindTap allows students to
easily identify the chapter’s learning objectives;
draw connections and improve writing skills by
completing essay assignments; read short, manage-
able sections from the e-book; and test their content
knowledge with critical thinking Aplia™ questions.
❯ Chapter e-Book: Each chapter within MindTap
contains the narrative of the chapter, offering an
easy to navigate online reading experience.
❯ Chapter Quiz: Each chapter within MindTap
ends with a summative Chapter Test covering
the chapter’s learning objectives and ensuring

students are reading and understanding the
material presented.
❯ Chapter Aplia Assignment: Each chapter
includes an Aplia assignment that provides auto-
matically graded critical thinking assignments
with detailed, immediate feedback and expla-
nations on every question. Students can also
choose to see another set of related questions if
they did not earn all available points in their first
attempt and want more practice.
❯ Ethics Simulations: Each chapter offers an
interactive simulated ethical dilemma, allowing
students to make decisions and see the implica-
tions of their choices.
❯ Chapter Essay Question: Every chapter ends
with essay prompts that ask students to explore
and reflect on concepts from the chapter and
build writing and critical thinking faculties.
❯ KnowNOW! Philosophy Blog: The KnowNOW!
Philosophy Blog connects course concepts with
real-world events. Updated twice a week, the
blog provides a succinct philosophical analysis of
major news stories, along with multimedia and
discussion-starter questions.
MindTap also includes a variety of other tools that
support philosophy teaching and learning:
❯ The Philosophy Toolbox collects tutorials on
using MindTap and researching and writing aca-
demic papers, including citation information and
tools, that instructors can use to support students
in the writing process.
❯ Questia allows professors and students to search
a database of thousands of peer-reviewed jour
jour-
nals, newspapers, magazines, and full-length
books—all assets can be added to any relevant
chapter in MindTap, and students can
❯ Kaltura allows instructors to create and insert
inline video and audio into the MindTap platform.
❯ ReadSpeaker reads the text out loud to students
in a voice they can customize.
❯ Note-taking and highlighting are organized in a
central location that can be synced with Ever
Ever-
Note on any mobile device a student may have
access to.
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
PREFACE xi
❯ Digital flash cards are premade for each chapter,
and students can make their own by adding
images, descriptions, and more.
MindTap gives students ample opportunities for
improving comprehension and for self-evaluation to
prepare for exams, while also providing faculty and
students alike a clear way to measure and assess
student progress. Faculty can use MindTap as a turn-
key solution or customize by adding YouTube videos,
RSS feeds, or their own documents directly within
the e-book or within each chapter’s Learning Path.
MindTap goes well beyond an e-book and a home-
work solution. It is truly a Personal Learning Experi-
ence that allows instructors to synchronize the reading
with engaging assignments. To learn more, ask your
Cengage Learning sales representative to demo it for
you—or go to www.Cengage.com/MindTap.
Instructor’s Resources:
The Instructor’s Companion Site features an Instruc-
tor’s Manual, PowerPoint Lecture Slides, and a
robust Test Bank (Cengage Learning Testing pow-
ered by Cognero).
The Instructor’s Manual provides useful sug-
gestions for lectures and classroom activities, based
directly on the content in this book. Answers to
many review exercises or study questions are pro-
vided, as well as questions for further thought.
The PowerPoint Lecture Slides offer a chapter-
by-chapter breakdown Cengage Learning Testing,
powered by Cognero, new to this edition, allows
instructors to author, edit, and manage Test Bank
content. Instructors can create multiple test versions
and instantly deliver them through their learning
management system right to the classroom.
Interested instructors can find and access all this
content by adding the ninth edition of this book to
their bookshelf on Cengage.com.
IN SUMMARY
We have sought to make this ninth edition of Ethics:
Ethics
Theory and Contemporary Issues the most compre-
hensive ethics text available. It combines theory
and issues, text and readings, as well as up-to-date
empirical information about contemporary moral
xii PREFACE
problems. It is designed to be flexible, user-friendly,
current, pedagogically helpful, and balanced.
❯ The flexible structure of the text allows instruc-
tors to emphasize only those theories and applied
ethical topics which best suit their courses.
❯ The text is user-friendly, while at the same time
philosophically reliable. It employs pedagogical
aids throughout and at the end of each chapter,
and provides extensive examples from current
events and trends. The exposition challenges
students with stimulating questions and is
interspersed with useful diagrams, charts, and
headings.
❯ The text not only provides up-to-date coverage
of developments in the news and in scientific
journals but also on ethical issues as they are
discussed in contemporary philosophy.
❯ It offers a balanced collection of readings, includ-
ing both the ethical theories and contemporary
sources on the issues.
❯ Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues, ninth
edition, is accompanied by a broad range of
online and textual tools that amplify its teach-
ability and give instructors specific pedagogical
tools for different learning styles.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We wish to thank the many people who have made
valuable suggestions for improving the ninth edi-
tion of the text, including Marie Gaudio-Zaccaria,
Georgia Perimeter College; K.C. Warble III, University
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
of South Carolina; Dusan Galic, College of DuPage;
Erin Anchustegu, Boise State University; Christina
Tomczak, Cedar Valley College; Susan Brown, Uni-
versity of West Florida; Philip Cronce, Chicago State
University; William Rodriguez, Bethune Cookman
University; Robert Arp, Johnson County Community
College; Jason Gooch, Yakima Valley Community
College; Jason Flato, Georgia Perimeter College; and
Eric Severson, Seattle Pacific University.
Barbara MacKinnon especially wants to thank
the students in her classes at the University of San
Francisco. Over the years, they have contributed
greatly to this text by challenging her to keep up
with the times and to make things more clear and
more interesting. She also appreciates the support
of her husband and fellow philosopher, Edward
MacKinnon. She dedicates this book to her two
wonderful daughters, Jennifer and Kathleen. Andrew
Fiala is thankful for Barbara’s hard work throughout
the previous editions of this book and for the oppor-
tunity to transform his classroom teaching experi-
ence into a useful text for teaching ethics.
We also wish to acknowledge the many profes-
sional people from Cengage Learning and its ven-
dors who have worked on this edition, including:
Debra Matteson, Product Manager; Adrienne Devlin,
Content Developer; Megan Garvey, Content Devel-
opment Manager; Lauren MacLachlan, Production
Manager; Margaret Park Bridges, Senior Content
Project Manager; Marissa Falco, Art Director; and
Kritika Kaushik, Project Manager, at Cenveo Pub-
lisher Services.
 HISTORY OF ETHICS TIME LINE xiii

Ancient
500 B.C.E. 400 300 200 100 0 100 C.E. 200

Socrates Jesus
Sappho 469–399 Zeno ? 4 B.C.E.–C.E. 29 Plotinus
637–577 351–270 205–270
Plato Philo Judaeus
Buddha 427–347 20 B.C.E.–C.E. 40
557–477 Aristotle Sextus Empiricus
384–322 60–117
Confucius Marcus Aurelius
552–479 121–180

Medieval
C.E. 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300
Augustine Anselm Aquinas
345–400 1033–1109 1224–1274
Boethius
480–524 Abelard Scotus
Mohammed 1079–1142 1265–1308
570–632 Avicebron Ockham
1021–1058 1285–1347
Maimonides
1135–1204
Avicenna Averroes
980–1037 1126–1198

Modern
1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
Bacon Locke Hume Kierkegaard Moore
1561–1626 1632–1704 1711–1776 1813–1851 1873–1958
Hobbes Leibniz Kant Marx Rawls
1588–1679 1646–1716 1724–1804 1818–1883 1921–2002

Spinoza Hegel Nietzsche Habermas

1632–1677 1770–1831 1844–1900 1929–
Rousseau
1712–1778 Mill Sartre Singer
1806–1873 1905–1979 b. 1946–
Gandhi Noddings
1869–1948 b. 1929–
Wollstonecraft
1759–1797 DeBeauvoir
1908–1986
Bentham James
1748–1832 1846–1910
Dewey
1859–1952

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Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
Ethics and Ethical Reasoning 1
Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

• Describe the philosophical study of ethics. • Differentiate between instrumental and

• Discuss the difference between normative
•
intrinsic values.

Jack Hollingsworth/Photodisc/Getty Images

and descriptive claims.
• Define key terms: intuitionism, emotivism,
objectivism, and subjectivism.
Distinguish consequentialist from
nonconsequentialist approaches to
ethics.

• Explain the difference between

metaethics and normative ethics.
• Use the distinctions among motives,
acts, and consequences to analyze

• Decide whether naturalistic explanations

of ethics commit the naturalistic fallacy.
ethical phenomena.

For more chapter resources and activities, go to MindTap.

WHY STUDY ETHICS?

It is clear that we often disagree about questions of value. Should same-sex marriage
be legal? Should women have abortions? Should drugs such as marijuana be legal-
ized? Should we torture terrorists in order to get information from them? Should we
eat animals or use them in medical experiments? These sorts of questions are sure to
expose divergent ideas about what is right or wrong.
Discussions of these sorts of questions often devolve into unreasonable name-
calling, foot-stomping, and other questionable argument styles. The philosophical
study of ethics aims to produce good arguments that provide reasonable support for
our opinions about practical topics. If someone says that abortion should (or should
not) be permitted, he or she needs to explain why this is so. It is not enough to say
that abortion should not be permitted because it is wrong or that women should be
allowed to choose abortion because it is wrong to limit women’s choices. To say
that these things are wrong is merely to reiterate that they should not be permitted.
Such an answer begs the question. Circular, question-begging arguments are falla-
cious. We need further argument and information to know why abortion is wrong
or why limiting free choice is wrong. We need a theory of what is right and wrong,
good or evil, justified, permissible, and unjustifiable, and we need to understand how
our theory applies in concrete cases. The first half of this text will discuss various

Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
2 PART ONE ❯❯ ETHICAL THEORY
theories and concepts that can be used to help us
avoid begging the question in debates about ethical
issues. The second half looks in detail at a number
of these issues.
It is appropriate to wonder, at the outset, why we
need to do this. Why isn’t it sufficient to simply state
your opinion and assert that “x is wrong (or evil,
just, permissible, etc.)”? One answer to this ques-
tion is that such assertions do nothing to solve the
deep conflicts of value that we find in our world. We
know that people disagree about abortion, same-
sex marriage, animal rights, and other issues. If we
are to make progress toward understanding each
other, if we are to make progress toward establishing
some consensus about these topics, then we have
to understand why we think certain things are right
and others are wrong. We need to make arguments
and give reasons in order to work out our own con-
clusions about these issues and in order to explain
our conclusions to others.
It is also insufficient to appeal to custom or
authority in deriving our conclusions about moral
issues. While it may be appropriate for children to
simply obey their parents’ decisions, adults should
strive for more than conformity and obedience to
authority. Sometimes our parents and grandparents
are wrong—or they disagree among themselves.
Sometimes the law is wrong—or laws conflict.
And sometimes religious authorities are wrong—or
authorities do not agree. To appeal to authority on
moral issues, we would first have to decide which
authority is to be trusted and believed. Which reli-
gion provides the best set of moral rules? Which set
of laws in which country is to be followed? Even
within the United States, there is currently a conflict
of laws with regard to some of these issues: some
states have legalized medical marijuana or physi-
cian assisted suicide, others have not. The world’s
religions also disagree about a number of issues:
for example, the status of women, the permissibil-
ity of abortion, and the question of whether war
is justifiable. And members of the same religion
or denomination may disagree among themselves
about these issues. To begin resolving these con-
flicts, we need critical philosophical inquiry into
Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
basic ethical questions. In Chapter 2, we discuss the
world’s diverse religious traditions and ask whether
there is a set of common ethical ideas that is shared
by these traditions. In this chapter, we clarify what
ethics is and how ethical reasoning should proceed.
WHAT IS ETHICS?
On the first day of an ethics class, we often ask stu-
dents to write one-paragraph answers to the ques-
tion, “What is ethics?”
How would you answer? Over the years, there
have been significant differences of opinion among
our students on this issue. Some have argued that
ethics is a highly personal thing, a matter of private
opinion. Others claim that our values come from
family upbringing. Other students think that ethics
is a set of social principles, the codes of one’s soci-
ety or particular groups within it, such as medical
or legal organizations. Some write that many people
get their ethical beliefs from their religion.
One general conclusion can be drawn from these
students’ comments: We tend to think of ethics as
the set of values or principles held by individuals
or groups. I have my ethics and you have yours;
groups—professional organizations and societies,
for example—have shared sets of values. We can
study the various sets of values that people have.
This could be done historically and sociologically.
Or we could take a psychological interest in deter-
mining how people form their values. But philosoph-
ical ethics is a critical enterprise that asks whether
any particular set of values or beliefs is better than
any other. We compare and evaluate sets of values
and beliefs, giving reasons for our evaluations. We
ask questions such as, “Are there good reasons for
preferring one set of ethics over another?” In this
text, we examine ethics from a critical or evaluative
standpoint. This examination will help you come to
a better understanding of your own values and the
values of others.
Ethics is a branch of philosophy. It is also called
moral philosophy. In general, philosophy is a dis-
cipline or study in which we ask—and attempt to
answer—basic questions about key areas or sub-
ject matters of human life and about pervasive and
14 PART ONE ❯❯ ETHICAL THEORY

4. See Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1989).
5. See Frans de Waal, Good Natured: The Origins of
Right and Wrong in Humans and Other Animals
(Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996).
Also see Morton Hunt, The Compassionate Beast:
What Science Is Discovering about the Human
Side of Humankind (New York: William Morrow,
1990).
6. G. E. Moore, Principia Ethics (Buffalo, NY:
Prometheus, 1903).
7. W. D. Ross, Foundations of Ethics (Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1939), pp. 144–45.
8. Michael Ruse, Sociobiology: Sense or Nonsense?
(New York: Springer, 1985), p. 237.
9. Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene, 30th
Anniversary Edition (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2006), p. xxi.

R E A D I N G
Ethical Judgments and Matters of Fact*
DAV I D H U M E

For more chapter resources and activities, go to MindTap.

Study Questions
As you read the excerpt, please consider the following questions:
1. How does Hume employ the fact of animal incest to advance his argument that morality does not consist merely
of “matters of fact” and that morality is not merely an “object of reason”?
2. Explain Hume’s idea that morality is a matter of feelings and sentiments.
3. Why does Hume have a problem with deducing an ought from an is?

I would fain ask any one, why incest in the human

species is criminal, and why the very same
action, and the same relations in animals have
not the smallest moral turpitude and deformity? If
it be answered, that this action is innocent in ani-
mals, because they have not reason sufficient to
discover its turpitude; but that man, being endowed
with that faculty which ought to restrain him to his
duty, the same action instantly becomes criminal to
him; should this be said, I would reply, that this is
evidently arguing in a circle. For before reason can
perceive this turpitude, the turpitude must exist; and
consequently is independent of the decisions of our
reason, and is their object more properly than their
effect. According to this system, then, every animal,
that has sense, and appetite, and will; that is, every
animal must be susceptible of all the same virtues
and vices, for which we ascribe praise and blame
to human creatures. All the difference is, that our
superior reason may serve to discover the vice or
virtue, and by that means may augment the blame
or praise: But still this discovery supposes a separate
being in these moral distinctions, and a being, which
depends only on the will and appetite, and which,
both in thought and reality, may be distinguished
from the reason. Animals are susceptible of the same
relations, with respect to each other, as the human
species, and therefore would also be susceptible of
the same morality, if the essence of morality con-
sisted in these relations. Their want of a sufficient
degree of reason may hinder them from perceiv-
ing the duties and obligations of morality, but can
never hinder these duties from existing; since they
must antecedently exist, in order to their being per
per-
ceived. Reason must find them, and can never pro-
duce them. This argument deserves to be weighed,
as being, in my opinion, entirely decisive.
From David Hume, A Treatise on Human Nature, (1739; Project
Gutenberg, 2010), bk. III, pt. 1, sec. 1, http://www.gutenberg.org/
files/4705/4705-h/4705-h.htm
*Title supplied by the editor.

Copyright 2018 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. WCN 02-200-202
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
’pen’ance on dis promis’, I puts my ’pen’ance on dat, an’ dey all fails
me.
Lucy
You ain’t neveh put youah trus’ in Gawd.
Madison
Yassuh, I did, an’ Gawd He up an’ gimme de go-by too. What He
bin doin’ fo’ me? Nuthin’. Now I goin’ spit on my han’s an’ whu’l in an’
trus’ myse’f. An’ I feels lots betteh. I can feel conferdence wukin’ all
oveh me. I casts ’em all off. I’m lookin’ out fo’ myse’f. M-m-m—It took
me long time to git heah but now I’m heah let ’em look out for me.
[His voice rises to a chant.]
M—m—m—Midnight on de sea. All de lights out. I’m carryin’ hod
on Jacob’ laddeh to build me a new house an’ I’m buildin’ it high,
man. Don’ tech me. I’m a flame of fieh an’ I’ll singe you sho’. If dey
asks fo’ me tell ’em say, “I saw somethin’ sailin’ up but he was
headin’ fo’ a high hill on de sun an’ my eyes failed me.” Tell ’em say,
“He had de fo’ win’s runnin’ like stallions to fetch up wif him but dey
carried ’em out, an’ buried ’em in de valley. He bus’ dere hea’ts!” Tell
’em say, “He was herdin’ lightnin’s like sheep an’ dey wuz too slow
an’ he picked ’em up an’ sheared ’em an’ sent ’em home.”
Dat’s me, I’m de one you’ll be talkin’ bout. Fer why? ’Cause I cas’
off ever’thing an’ I puts my trus’ in myself an’ nuthin’ can’t hole me.
De mo’ I says it de mo’ I feels conferdence. I feels it a wukin’.
Lucy
You goin’ to wuk, Madison?
Madison
Yes, indeedy. I got to wuk an’ wuk ha’d. I can’t shirk none.
Lucy
What wuk you goin’ to do?
Madison
 I’m a stock brokin’ man. I goin’ into de stock brokin’ business
tomorrer.
Lucy
How?
Madison
Buyin’ an’ sellin’, dat’s how an’ which too.
Lucy
De Devil’s wrastlin’ wif you, Madison, an’ you’s perishin’ fas’. Ef
you keeps on in dis paf you’ll lan’ mongs’ de rocks er mournin’. You’s
let somebody tu’n you roun’.
Madison
Not me. Nobody can’t tu’n me roun’. I dreamed it an’ I dreamed it
right, face fo’mos’ an’ on de run.
Lucy
How dream?
Madison
Las’ night an’ day befo’ yistiddy night an’ night befo’ dat. I wuz
layin’ groanin’, “O Lawd, how long,” an’ I heah a voice say, “Git up
an’ come a-runnin’.” Looks up an’ sees a fine w’ite saddle hoss.
Hoss say,
“Ride me right an’ I’ll guide you right.”
On I gits an’ off he goes, slick as a rancid transom car. Comes to
high hill lookin’ down on de sun an’ moon. Hoss stop an’ say,
“Brung you heah to give you noos
De worl’ is youahn to pick an’ choose.”
I ax him “How dat?” Hoss say:
“How is how an’ why is why,
Buy low an’ sell high.”
 I say to him, “I got no money to buy. Wheah I goin’ git de fun’s to
buy low?” Hoss respon’:
“Trus’ yo’se’f an’ take youah own,
Git de meat an’ leave de bone,
Bus’ de nut an’ fling em de shell,
Ride an’ let em walk a spell,
Findeh’s keepeh’s, loseh’s weepeh’s,
I hope dese few lines find you well.”
I ax him who tole him all dis an’ hoss say:
“Ole hoss Grab will nevah balk,
All dis heah is w’ite man talk.”
Dat what de hoss say to me in my true dream ev’y night dis week
an’ I’m a-goin’ to bide by hit twell de las’ er pea time. ’Cause I’m er
true dreameh an’ my mammy she wuz befo’ me.
Lucy
What come of de hoss in de dream, Madison?
Madison
Dat’s all. Hoss went up in smoke an’ I come down in bed.
Lucy
Hoss went up in smoke! No, hit went down in smoke an’ fiah.
Madison
Now look-a heah, woman. I’m goin’ to make you a good livin’ f’um
now on. I’m goin’ into business termorrer. I’m goin’ in de specalatin’
wu’k. I’m goin’ to buy low an’ sell high.
Lucy
What kin you buy wif? You got no money.
Madison
[Hesitating but collecting his forces gradually.] Oh, ain’t I tell you
’bout dat? I got it in de dream.
 Lucy
In de dream?
Madison
Um Hmmm. You know dat hoss I tole you ’bout. Well’m, jes’ fo’ we
pa’ted he prance up th’ough a starry fiel’ an’ come to a gyarden
fence. Oveh dat fence he lep an’, man, she was a fine gyarden.
“Whose patch dish yer?” I say to him. Hoss say:
“If you asks me grab what you see.”
Den he reaches down an’ pulls up a tu’nip wif his teef an’ gives it
to me an’ say,
“Dis gyarden truck will fetch you luck.”
[He watches Lucy furtively.] An’ I takes an’ sta’ts to peel dis tu’nip
an’ what does I find? I finds she’s a fine fat roll er bills, dem tu’nip
tops is greenbacks.
Lucy
So youah money is dream money?
Madison
Well, no, not ezackly. De hoss whispeh sumpin in my eah an’ told
me how to make dat dream money real money. An’ I took de hint an’
done it today. An’ on dat money I’ll buy low an’ gouge ’em all good.
Lucy
How much you got?
Madison
Well’m— [He hesitates.] I got a little an’ den some. I got erbout—
fifty er so.
Lucy
Wheah you git it? [She catches hold of him.]
Madison
 Tu’n me loose, woman. I goin’ to baid. I got to make early sta’t. [He
pulls off his coat.]
Lucy
[Wildly.] I ain’ goin’ to let you stay in sin. [She snatches the coat
from him.] I goin’ take dis money an’ make you say wheah you got it.

[She begins hastily searching through the pockets of

the coat.]

Madison
[Calmly regarding her with great good humour and breaking into a
laugh as she fails in her search.] Eh, yah, yah, sea’ch an’ look,
sea’ch an’ look.
Lucy
Oh, Madison, ain’ yo’ got no honin’ ter be hones’ at all?
Madison
Hones’! What kin’ er fool talk is dat? I done got my ear-string bus’
now an’ dem preachah wu’ds can’t fool me no mo’. You’ll neveh fin’
it, honey. ’Cause why? ’Cause I’m got it in my pants an’ I goin’ to
keep it f’um a foolish woman.
Lucy
[Running to him desperately.] You got to give it to me.
Madison
Gal, ef you don’ tu’n me loose I’ll git ugly. Now, look heah. I wants
to heah de las’ er dis. I got new ideahs. I got big plots en plans. I
done give you de plankses in my flatfo’m an’ I’m a-goin’ to stan’ on
hit. When I makes a lot mo’ money in de broker business I’m a-goin’
to give you all de gold youah ap’un’ll hold, ev’y day er youah life, an’
you won’ have to wait long. But till dat day an’ to dat time I’m de
treasu’eh er dis lodge an’ I’m de stake holdeh er dis race an’ dat
money stays in de pu’se in de hip er my ol’ jeanses.
 [He says this last slowly and with growing emphasis
and as he ends, gives himself a resounding
thwack on the hip over his pocket. There is a
moment’s pause. He puts his hand hurriedly in the
pocket and then dazedly into one on the other
hip.]

What dis? Wheah dat roll?

Lucy
[Fearfully.] I ain’ tech it. You know I ain’ bin neah you.
Madison
[Rushing to her.] Gimme de coat.

[He snatches the coat and begins going through the

pockets, from time to time searching and slapping
the garments he is wearing.]

Didn’t you git it? You mus’ er tuk it.

Lucy
No, Madison, I ain’ see nor tech it. You watched me.
Madison
Oh, Lawd, he’p me look.

[He begins to run around the room, looking on the

table, picking up articles and letting them fall,
dropping on his knees and hunting under the table
and chairs. As he searches he grows more
frantic.]

Oh, my Lawd, Oh, wheah is it? I got to have it. Oh, I couldn’ lose it,
hit ain’ mine ter lose. Stay by me, Lucy, an’ he’p me fin’ it, git down
on youah knees, Lucy. Oh, wheah did I drop it? I’m gittin’ old an’
needs it. Ef I lose dis I lose all my push. I was jes’ goin’ into business
an’ we all wuz goin’ to fly high. I got to fin’ it. I ain’ give up. Lemme
think. Oh, I hopes some hones’ puhson foun’ it. Lemme come on
down—Know I put it on dat side ’cause dat de side Mistah Long he
wuz on—Oh, I’ll go crazy— [He strikes his forehead groaning.]
Lucy
[Starting.] Mistah Long! He’s cashiah in de Dime Savin’s! How he
give you money?
Madison
Oh, lemme see—he gimme de money an’ I put it right in yere. [He
fumbles again distractedly in his pocket.]
Lucy
[Pursuing him desperately.] Onliest money at de Dime Savin’s is
de money. You couldn’t draw hit out. You didn’ do dat,—you
couldn’—Tell me if you did fo’ I’ll fin’ it out tomorrer—Oh, tell me true
—you couldn’ when it’s in my name—tell me now fo’ I’ll find it out.
Madison
Oh, I can’t stand it.
Lucy
Ef you wan’ me to he’p you den be free wif me. How you draw
money from de Bank? I give you no papeh. You couldn’ draw de
money.
Madison
Wilson Byrd, he gimme de papeh.
Lucy
I give him no papeh.
Madison
He write it fo’ you.
Lucy
 Oh, Gawd, dat w’ite man write my name. You drawed de money—I
see it now. You had dealin’s wif a fo’geh, Wilson Byrd.
Madison
Spar’ me an’ he’p me. He tol’ me ef I draw de money he’d take me
into business wif him an’ gimme de guitar besides.
Lucy
Did you spar’ me? Fifty dollahs! You said fifty, didn’ you? How
could you do hit? More’n six months’ ha’d slavin’. Six months mo’
befo’ I can resto’ it back. I could a bought de house tomorrer mo’nin’
an’ now hit’s six months off to pay in dat fifty. It was fifty, didn’ you
say? Maybe ’twuzn’ dat much. Tell me right. I’ll fin’ it out tomorrer.
Madison
Dis yere’ll kill me ef I can’t think.
Lucy
How much you draw? Tell me right. Look at me. Were hit fifty?
[She holds his eye.] Less? Mo’? How much? [She continues to hold
his lustreless eyes, reading them.] A hunde’d? Two hunde’d? Eight
hunde’d? [A pause ensues as she reads the truth in his face.] All of
hit! [She sinks in a chair.] Twelve yeahs’ labour sence I married you
an’ termorrer I wuz goin’ to mek de payment an’ we’d a bin undeh
owah own roof. I’m done. I could a paid off pa’t, mebbe fifty, but I
won’ las’ twelve yeahs mo’ at de same thing. But I thank Thee,
Lawd, dat it wuz stole f’um us all ef hit had to be stole.
Madison
Ef I could on’y think. Had hit in de bank—felt hit an’ had it on Thu’d
Street—slapped hit an’ had it at Joe’s house—slapped hit an’ had it
comin’ up de alley—jes’ fo’ I clum de hill—lemme see—clum de hill
—went in th’oo Wilson Byrd’s hedge fence—he gimme de guitar—
scrape my back comin’ out— [His face shows gradual recollection,
and suddenly brightens.] I knows now! Dat’s hit! In dat white man’s
yard wheah he gimme de guitar! I wuz jes’ goin’ to give him de
money when somebody grabbed him f’um behin’. He give a squawk
an’ skeered me. I run out th’oo his hedge fence an’ scrape my back.
I scrape de pocketbook out. She’s dere! In dat Wilson Byrd’s yard. I’ll
git it yit. Watch me. [He grabs his hat and runs excitedly toward the
door.]
Lucy
[Rushing toward him.] No, sumpin’ might happen. You might git
mix up wif him ergin. Lemme go, but I mus’ resto’ dis guitar at Uncle
Williams, as I go by his house. I’ll slip it on his porch. Maybe he’ll
neveh know it wuz gone. Oh, if somebody had seen it heah! How
could I have stood it?

[She puts on a shawl and takes up the bag but as she

lays her hand on the door-knob a loud knock is
heard on the door. Both start back and wait. The
knocking is repeated. She throws off the shawl,
places the bag in a corner and returning to the
door, opens it. She greets the visitor in a strained
voice, almost with a shriek.]

Uncle Williams! Step in, please.

[A man enters. The newcomer is old, with white hair

and beard. He is probably of Moorish descent. He
is so small and weazened as to be almost a dwarf,
but his whole demeanor indicates great latent
power. A strong personality, dominating the two
others from the first instant.]

Williams
Good evenin’, Lucy.

[He seems to be unaware of the presence of Madison.

He comes forward with little mincing steps and an
old man’s gesture, then takes off his hat and sees
about him. The others stand watching him,
transfixed.]
 Ain’ you goin’ shut de do’, Lucy? I feels draf’s. I’m gittin’ old an’
catches cold easy. Ain’ you goin’ take my hat? [She reaches for it
mechanically, watching him apprehensively.] No, de hat—not de stick
—ol’ pu’son like me always need good stout stick er club case er
havin’ faintin’ spell—sumpin’ to lean on. Now, wheah a cheer, bettah
fetch me er cheer fo’ feah I might set on sumpin’ you wouldn’ choose
fo’ me. [She obeys dumbly and brings a chair to him.] Set it neareh.
Dat’s right. Now gimme youah shouldeh an’ ease me down. Ah—
[He leans heavily on her and sinks totteringly into the chair with a
great show of feebleness.] Now take a cheer yo’se’f. I ’spize to see a
lady standin’ an’ me takin’ my res’, old ez I is. [She obeys, watching
him with doubt and dread.] Set it dah, wheah I can see you good.
[Madison is standing up by the wall, right, gazing at him as though
paralyzed with fear.] Dah now. We kin be ca’m and have a nice talk.
Does you know what business I come yere fo’ tonight? [He pauses.]
You does, doesn’t you?
Lucy
[Almost beside herself with nervous tension.] You—come to see—
ef— [Recovering herself with a mighty effort.] Oh, yes, you come to
look oveh de stove an’ see ef you like to buy hit.
Williams
[Musingly.] M-m. Well, I reckon—dat’s hit. Yes, dey tells me y’all
has a wahmin’ stove to sell an’ now katydid cease, fros’ ain’ fur off,
an’ I needs hit. Is dish yere de one?
Lucy
[Rising and rushing toward door at side.] No, not dat. Hit’s outside
—ef you please to step out.
Williams
Well’m, I’ll take’n look her oveh. [She hastily lights a candle as he
rises and totters in the wrong direction.]
Lucy
 Th’oo heah, th’oo heah. De stove’s out in de woodshed. [She
grasps and guides him.]
Williams
Ah—well’m. Um hm. I always gives things er good lookin’ oveh
befo’ takin’ stock in ’m. You needn’ come erlong. I lived so long in dis
house befo’ you wuz bawn dat I knows my way. Is de stove an easy
wood eateh?
Lucy
Yes, yes.

[She gives him the candle and almost pushes him

through doorway at side as she follows him out.
Madison, who has watched fearfully from a dark
corner, darts forward and looks after them,
listening. He then runs toward the door at back but
hesitates before it and turns as Lucy comes
swiftly in from outer room, closing the door softly.]

Madison
What he say? Do he know?
Lucy
[Desperately seizing the bag and pressing it into his hands as she
turns him again toward doorway at back.] Oh, I cain’ tell. On’y resto’
dis in case he don’ know er case he do. Now’s de one chance to be
hones’.
Madison
Huh. What erbout dat eight hunderd dollah?
Lucy
I don’ know. Trus’ Gawd an’ be hones’.
Madison
 Huh uh. One of us has got to go look fo’ dat money.
Lucy
One of us has got to take back de guitar.
Madison
I’m goin’ fo’ de money.
Lucy
Den I’ll take dis. [She takes up the guitar and she and Madison go
toward door at back. Then she halts.] Oh, Madison, you can do bofe.
One of us has got to stay wif Uncle Williams. But take back de guitar
first.
Madison
All right. I’ll go. An’ I ain’t played on dis heah but twice. [He takes
the guitar from her.]
Lucy
Go now. Can you fin’ youah way to his porch in de dahk?
Madison
Will we find de money? Dat’s de p’oblem I wants de answeh fo’.

[Lucy opens door at back to go out. Madison is at her

side. Both start back. Williams stands before
them in the open doorway.]

Lucy
[Haltingly, after a pause.] How—you like—de stove?
Williams
[Entering more vigorously than before.] Well’m, befo’ we goes any
furder we betteh come neareh de real p’int an’ question. I didn’ come
fo’ no stove dis night. [Madison shrinks back into the shadows.]
 Lucy
[Slowly.] Yo’—don’—wan’—
Williams
No’m. To be sho’, I might tek de stove one er dese days, but dat
ain’ my erran’ now. Hit’s dis; does you know when we mek de
bargum about you buyin’ dis heah house?
Lucy
Twelve yeah ago.
Williams
Gal, you dreamin’! ’Tweren’t but las’ year. ’Twere de fus’ er
Octobah las’ year an’ I say I gives you de refusals fer one yeah.
’Membeh dat?
Lucy
Yassuh.
Williams
So fur so good. Now does you know what day de month dis is?
Lucy
Fus’ er Octobah.
Williams
Dat’s true as preachin’. Well’m, time’s up.
Lucy
What you mean?
Williams
I’m er man er my wuhd. Pay me de money an’ tek de house.
Lucy
Termorrer—
 Williams
No. Termorrer won’ do.
Lucy
Why you push me so? Oh, please spar’ me an’ wait—wait anutheh
day.
Williams
No, I’m er business man. I kin sell de house fer mo’ money
termorrer but I hold’s to my wuhd ter sell it to you. I holds to it an’
loses money, but it falls due dis day an’ night an’ I won’ stretch it one
jump er my hea’t.
Lucy
You know—de bank—ain’t open—
Williams
Sign de check fer hit. You kin do dat, cain’t you?
Lucy
I—s’pose—I—kin.
Williams
Den up an’ do hit. Heah’s er check, all wrote out but de signin’.
[She takes the check he produces.] An’ heah’s one er dese fountum
pins. [She takes the pen.] Octobeh fus’—pay to Zek’l Williams—eight
hunderd dollahs. Des write “Lucy Sparrow.” [She mechanically turns
to do so.] Looks easy, sho’. But de law allows hit; dis writin’ out
money. [He pauses, then adds impressively.] Dat is, ef you got de
money in de bank. Co’se ef de money ain’ dah an’ you writes de
check fer hit de law puts you in State prism. [She stops and stares at
him.] [The pen falls from her hand and the check flutters to the floor.]
What de matteh? You wants de house, don’ you? [Lucy’s head
sinks.] An’ you got de money, ain’ you?
Madison
 Dat’s de question. [He comes forward out of the shadow.]
Williams
[Seemingly observing Madison for the first time during the
evening.] Why, heighyo, Madison. I bin lookin’ fer you dis very
evenin’. Whah you bin?
Madison
Bin home.
Williams
Sho’ly not, Madison, sho’ly not all evenin’? Has you?
Madison
Yes.
Williams
Well, ain’ dat de whu’lygig? I wuz lookin’ fer you at Pratt’s sto’ at
eight o’clock an’ dey say you jes’ lef’ dah. You wuz dah, weren’t you?
Madison
No, suh.
Williams
Well, dere I am fool agin. An’ who you think done fool me?
Madison
Dunno.
Williams
Well, suh, ’tweren’t no one but— [He pauses a moment.] Wilson
Byrd.
Lucy
Byrd! [Springing to her feet with the shock.]
Williams
 [After watching the two a moment.] So you ain’ got de money no
mo’, is you? [They are speechless before him.] I knows you ain’
’ca’se I knows who has got hit.
Madison
[Involuntarily.] Who?
Williams
I has. [He observes them and then chuckles softly.] I has de
money an’ de bargum’s closed, fer de goods is bin delivered an’
dey’re right in dis room in dat corner. One guitar at eight hunderd
dollahs. Insterments comes higher’n what dey did once but you
would have it an’ now you got it an’ everybody’s fixed.
Madison
[Groaning and bending over the table.] Oh!
Williams
Yassuh, de man what buys guitars at dat price su’tinly plays on de
golden strings. Eight hunderd fer one guitar makes ’m mighty near
twenty thousand dollehs er dozen. De cos’ er livin’ is shore gone up
but ef you mus’ you mus’.
Madison
Oh!
Williams
Well, I cain’ stay heah, I got er be amblin’ on. I much erblige ter
you to mek youah plans to move out er heah fo’ I got ter sell de
house befo’ sundown. Well, so long, an’ I hopes you gits all de good
er youah high price music. [He turns again with his feeble old man’s
step toward the doorway, putting on his hat.] I wish y’all good
evenin’.
Madison
 [Moving toward him with the threatening determination of despair.]
Say, I’ve got to have dat money. I sees red. I’m gone bad an’ I’ll kill
befo’ I’ll lose hit.

[Williams suddenly turns with a swiftness and agility

astounding in so old a man. Starting forward he
confronts Madison with such dominance and fire
that he seems suddenly to tower.]

Williams
You kill me! You tek money away from me! Why, you po’ grain er
chaff, you don’ know me. I’m a king in my own right. I got ways an’
means er pertecktin’ myse’f dat you don’ even dream on an’ I don’
need to lay a fingeh on you to do hit. Furdermo’ I could brain you wif
dis stick but ef you cross me I won’ be dat easy on you. Ef you don’
wan’ wuss’n dat don’ cross me no furder er youah troubles’ll begin
fer fa’r.
Lucy
Oh, please don’ lay nothin’ on him.
Williams
You po’ sufferin’ gal, I won’ lay nothin’ onto ’im but I’m a-goin’ to
tek sumpin’ off’n you. I’m goin’ tek de burding er dish yere pack er
laziness off’n you. An’ fus’ I wants ter show you dish yere piece er
papeh. [He produces a folded document and opens it.] Does yo’
know who wrote it? Answeh me. [He shoves the paper under
Madison’s eye.]
Madison
It looks like dat Wilson Byrd’s writin’.
Williams
Yassuh, an’ what’s mo’ it is dat man’s writin’. It’s his confession dat
he fo’ge Lucy Sparrow’s name. I saw dat man steal my guitar an’
follered him home. Dah I grabbed him, dah I foun’ de purse wif
Lucy’s name inside an’ dah I made dat thief write out his confession.
Knowed so much of his meanness already dat he had to do hit. An’
now I owns you. Does you undehstan’ dat? Answeh me.
Madison
Yas suh, no suh.
Williams
Well, I’ll take’n cl’ar up de myst’ry fer you. I got dis confession
outer Byrd an’ I got other things ter prove hit an’ I kin bring him an’
you too, bofe befo’ de gran’ jury.
Lucy
Oh, my sweet Jesus, save him. [The old man stands watching the
two before him for some time in silence. Lucy falls on her knees
before him.] Oh, don’t sen’ Madison to de lawyers.
Williams
No, Lucy, I ain’ wishful ter.
Lucy
You won’t?
Williams
Mebbe not. But fus’, les’ put all dis talk aside dat I bin talkin’ up to
now. I bin puttin’ on an’ pretendin’ in ordeh ter try you bofe an’ sif’ de
chaff from de grain in you. I des bin playin’ wif you ter see how good
you is an’ how ornry dish yere man er youahn is. Yit I’ll take an’ give
him er chance even so, an’ I’ll pluck him f’um de bu’nin’ ef he follers
de paf I p’ints out ter him. But we all got ter have cl’ar unde’stan’in’
’bout dat. Fus’ an’ fo’mos’ youah money is all safe wif me. De house
is youah’n.
Lucy
You means you sell it fer de money.
Williams
 In co’se. You didn’t speck I’d steal too, like a w’ite man, did you?
I’ll fetch you de deeds fo’ hit fus’ thing in de mo’nin’.
Lucy
Oh, fu’give me, I was all mix up. But you won’ sen’ Madison to de
gran’ jury neitheh?
Williams
I say I ain’ honin’ ter.
Lucy
Oh, my Makeh, I thank Thee fo’ Thy mercy.
Williams
But I shorely goin’ to put dis man er youah’n th’oo er tes’ ter see
whetheh he’s fitten ter keep out er jail. Madison, will you tek er tes’?
Madison
[Humbly.] Yassuh. What is it?
Williams
A guitar.
Madison
A guitar!
Williams
Yassuh, dat’s hit, no mo’ ner no less. I’m goin’ give you dat guitar
—but—dere’s suhtinly goin’ to be a string tied to it. You kin take dat
guitar but you got to make somethin’ outer yourself wif her or back
she’ll come to me. You kin give lessons an’ learn folks music or you
kin write down de music you make, but you got to do somethin’ wif it
fer Lucy. You got to wake up or I’ll take de guitar. Which’ll it be?
Make youah choice.
Madison
 [Crushed.] I’ll—keep de guitar.
Williams
An’ dat ain’ all. You got ter quit runnin’ wif Byrd an’ Byrd wif you,
you got ter be a better husban’ an’ you got to min’ everything Lucy
tells you. Will you do hit?
Madison
Yassuh.
Williams
An’ yo’ ain’ much of er temp’unce man neitheh, is you, Madison?
Madison
I’s a temp’unce man but I ain’ no frantic.
Williams
Well, suh, you got ter jine de frantics now. No dram drinking at all.
Will you quit hit er go ter jail?
Madison
I’ll quit.
Williams
Well, dat’s on’y a promise but I’ll shore hol’ you to hit er put you
behin’ de bahs. Why, look heah, man, does you know how you stan’
’pon top er dis yu’th? Does you know how you liken to er tree?
’Sposin’ sumpin’ wif er cool eye like er tree could see you an’ talk. I
cain’ jedge you ca’m but er tree could. Tree would look at you an’
say, “Does dat ’ere man wu’k?” Win’ ’ud whispeh, “No.” “Do he eat?”
“Yas ’n git fat,” respon’ de win’. “Who shines on him?” “His wife,” win’
say. “Do he put fo’th flower an’ bless de wife?” say de tree. “No.” “Do
he give shade an’ shelteh ter de wife?” say de tree. “No.” “Well,
chop’m down an’ bu’n him befo’ he rots,” say de tree. “Dat’s all.” But
mebbe I kin mek mo’ of him dan dat an’ so I’ll try prunin’ him an’
graftin’ some good labeh onto him. An’ I kin’ er think hit’ll save him