Eight Theories of Ethics

by Gordon Graham

Is it possible to study ethics objectively, or are moral judgements inevitably subjective? Are ancient theories of ethics of any contemporary relevance? Which ethical theory offers the most convincing explanation of how best to live one's life?

Eight Theories of Ethics is a comprehensive introduction to the theories of ethics encountered by first-time students. Gordon Graham introduces the fundamental concepts that underpin ethics, such as relativism and objectivity, and then devotes his attention to each of the eight major theories of

* egoism
* hedonism
* naturalism and virtue theory
* existentialism
* Kantianism
* utilitarianism
* contractualism
* religion.

Throughout the book, Gordon Graham draws on examples from great moral philosophers such as Aristotle, Kant and Mill, and also from contemporary debates over human nature, the environment and citizenship.

Eight Theories of Ethics is written in an engaging and student-friendly style, with detailed suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter - including original sources and contemporary discussions. It is ideal for anyone coming to this area of philosophy for the first time, and for those studying ethics in related disciplines such as politics, law, nursing and medicine.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

232 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2004

About the author

Gordon Graham is Director of the Edinburgh Sacred Arts Festival. He previously taught philosophy at the University of St Andrews, University of Aberdeen, and Princeton Theological Seminary. The author of twenty books on a wide range of subjects in aesthetics, politics and moral philosophy, he has also published extensively on the Scottish philosophical tradition. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and winner of an Eighteenth Century Scottish Studies Society Lifetime Achievement Award, he was founding editor of the Journal of Scottish Philosophy and general editor of the Oxford History of Scottish Philosophy. His books include Scottish Philosophy after the Enlightenment (Edinburgh University Press, 2022).

Reviews

[Gabriel Conroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good introduction to ethics for non-philosophers (like me) who would like to understand more about the topic. If it were permitted, I would probably assign this book a rating of 3.5 stars, because it falls short in some ways.

One example is the perhaps too cursory treatment of possible objections and defenses of the major arguments that Graham includes. This criticism is perhaps unfair, because the book is designed as an introduction only. Still, I was left wondering, in the chapter on Kantianism, if the counterargument used to Kant's idea of universalizability--the trope of the "consistent Nazi" who would universalize his own prejudices to him-herself--might not be refuted by appeal to Kant's notion of what a world of "rational angels" would universalize.

Another example is the final chapter that tries to demonstrate the salience of religion to ethics. I'm all for such explorations, and I see no reason why they shouldn't be included in an introductory account of ethics. Still, I would have liked the presentation of this idea to be a bit more (for lack of a better word, and to use a problematic word), "objective." The last chapter reads like a primer on Graham's theological writings. Again, I have no problem with including this exploration and have no problem with an introductory book that has its own normative argument. I just think Graham's commitment could have been less transparent.

Still, and excellent book!

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book based on the recommendation list of my lecturer for my upcoming ethics module. Interesting and informative. Allowed me to learn about other theories and recap some of the ones I’ve learnt through a new lense.