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Morality

About: Morality is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 22623 publications have been published within this topic receiving 545733 citations. The topic is also known as: moral & morals.


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Book
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that "virtue ethics" should be seen as a foundational theory which accounts more accurately for a range of ideas about value, choice, obligation and rational action than Kantian ethics, common-sense ethics or utilitarianism.
Abstract: The principal objective of this treatise is to argue that "virtue ethics" should be seen as a foundational theory which accounts more accurately for a range of ideas about value, choice, obligation and rational action than Kantian ethics, common-sense ethics or utilitarianism. The author believes that while utilitarianism can provide one way of resolving certain difficulties, it is not without its own serious problems. Virtue ethics, on the other hand, provide a more cogent account of the original difficulties, avoid the problems that utilitarianism brings up and dispells the incoherencies of Kantian and common-sense ethics.

192 citations

01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: In the archaeological record there is sufficient evidence to make a judgment, the traces of war are to be found across all forms of social organization-in bands, chiefdoms, and states as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: War is older than the human species. It is found in every region of the world, among all the branches of humankind. It is found throughout human history, deeply and densely woven into its causal tapestry. It is found in all eras, and in earlier periods no less than later. There is no evidence of it having originated in one place, and spread by contact to others. War is reflected in the most fundamental features of human social life. When indigenous histories are composed, their authors invariably view wars-unlike almost all other kinds of events-as preeminently worth recording. The foundational works of human literature-the Iliad, the Bhagavad-Gita, the Tanakh, the Quran, the Tale of the Heike-whether oral or written, sacred or secular-reflect societies in which war was a pervasive feature. Wherever in the archaeological record there is sufficient evidence to make a judgment, the traces of war are to be found. It is found across all forms of social organization-in bands, chiefdoms, and states. It was a regular part of hunter-gatherer life wherever population densities were not vanishingly low, and often even in harsh and marginal habitats. The existence of intergroup 191

192 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The aim of the review is to provide the basis for critically evaluating the current understanding of empathy, and its public reception, and to inspire new research directions.

191 citations

Book
01 Jan 1980
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an approach to the study of Morality and its application in the area of health care, and discuss the issues of lying, cheating, breaking promises, and stealing.
Abstract: Preface Chapter 1 What is Morality? Objectives What is Philosophy and Ethics' Relationship to It? Key Terms Approaches to the Study of Morality Morality and Its Applications Where Does Morality Come From? Customary or Traditional and Reflective Morality Morality, Law, and Religion Why Should Human Beings Be Moral? Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Discussion Questions Notes Research Navigator Chapter 2 Consequentialist (Teleological) Theories of Morality Objectives Psychological Egoism Ethical Egoism Utilitarianism Difficulty with Consequentialist Theories in General Care Ethics Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Discussion Questions Notes Research Navigator Chapter 3 Nonconsequentialist (Deontological) Theories of Morality Objectives Act Nonconsequentialist Theories Rule Nonconsequentialist Theories General Criticisms of Nonconsequentialist Theories Conclusions Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Discussion Questions Notes Research Navigator Chapter 4 Virtue Ethics Objectives Definition of Terms Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics Confucian Moral Self-Cultivation Contemporary Analysis of Virtue Ethics Who Is The Ideal Virtuous Person? Vice and Virtue Conclusions Chapter Summary Excersices for Review Discussion Questions Notes Research Navigator Chapter 5 Absolutism versus Relativism Objectives The Meanings of Absolute The Meaning of Relative Cultural Relativism and Cultural Absolutism Propositions and Truth Conclusion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Discussion Questions Notes Research Navigator Chapter 6 Freedom versus Determinism Objectives The Meaning of Determinism Types and Theories of Determinism Fatalism and Hard and Soft Determinism Indeterminism Criticisms of Hard Determinism and Arguments for Freedom Conclusion: Soft Determinism Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Discussion Questions Notes Research Navigator Chapter 7 Reward and Punishment Objectives Definition of Key Terms Reward and Punishment in Relationship to Justice Elements of Justice Reward Theories of How to Reward John Rawls and His Theory of Justice Punishment Theories of Punishment Is a Synthesis Possible? Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Discussion Questions Notes Research Navigator Chapter 8 Setting Up a Moral System: Basic Assumptions and Basic Principles Objectives Conflicting General Moral Issues Basic Assumptions Basic Principles, Individual Freedom, and Their Justification Priority of the Basic Principles A General Way of Determining Priority--Two Categories How the System of Humanitarian Ethics Works Conclusion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Discussion Questions Note Research Navigator Chapter 9 The Taking of Human Life Objectives The Taking of Human Life Suicide Defense of the Innocent (the Self Included) Cases for Study and Discussion War Terrorism Cases for Study and Discussion Capital Punishment Cases for Study and Discussion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Views of Major Ethical Theories on the Taking of Human Life Suicide Defense of the Innocent War and Terrorism Capital Punishment Reader Reactions Notes Research Navigator Chapter 10 Allowing Someone to Die, Mercy Death, and Mercy Killing Objectives Definition of Terms Current Legal Status of Mercy Death and Mercy Killing Allowing Someone to Die Cases for Study and Discussion Mercy Death Cases for Study and Discussion Mercy Killing Cases for Study and Discussion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Allowing Someone to Die, Mercy Death, and Mercy Killing Notes Research Navigator Chapter 11 Abortion Objectives Introduction to the Abortion Issue When Does Human Life Begin? Arguments Against Abortion Arguments for Abortion The More Moderate Positions on Abortion Cases for Study and Discussion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Abortion Notes Research Navigator Chapter 12 Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing Objectives Introduction Definitions of Key Terms Nonconsequentialist and Consequentialist Views Lying Cases for Study and Discussion Cheating Cases for Study and Discussion Breaking Promises Cases for Study and Discussion Stealing Cases for Study and Discussion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing Notes Research Navigator Chapter 13 Morality, Marriage, and Human Sexuality Objectives Major Aspects of Human Sexuality The Meaning and Purposes of Human Sexuality Premarital Sex Sex in Marriage-Type Relationships (Including Nonlegal) Masturbation Pornography Prostitution Sexual Perversion or "Unnatural" Sexual Activity Cases for Study and Discussion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Morality, Human Sexuality, and Marriage Notes Research Navigator Chapter 14 Bioethics--Ethical Issues in Medicine Objectives Introduction and Definition of Terms Health Care Professionals and Patients and Their Families--Rights and Obligations Truth Telling and Informed Consent Confidentiality Guilt and Innocence in Treating Patients Ethical Issues in Medicine Stem Cell Research Cases for Study and Discussion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Bioethical Issues Notes Research Navigator Chapter 15 Business and Media Ethics Objectives Introduction Rights and Obligations in Business Two Ways of Approaching Rights and Obligations in Business The Moderate Position Justice, Truth Telling, and Honesty in Business Ethical Issues in Business Sexual Harassment The New Global Economy and the International Business Scene Media Ethics Corporate Greed--Enron Cases for Study and Discussion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Views of the Major Ethical Theories on Business and Media Ethics Notes Research Navigator Chapter 16 Environmental Ethics Objectives Key Terms Nature and Morality Environmental Ethical Issues Our Attitude Toward Nature and What Lies Behind It Arguments for Use and Exploitation of the Natural Environment Arguments Against the Use and Exploitation of Nature Moderate Position Criteria for Animal Rights Ways of Dealing with Animal Rights Use of Animals for Food Use of Animals for Experimentation Killing Animals for Sport Protection of Endangered Species Non-Western Perspectives on Environmental Issues Conclusion Cases for Study and Discussion Chapter Summary Exercises for Review Views of Major Ethical Theories on Environmental Ethics Notes Research Navigator Appendixes Introduction Appendix 1: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of the Taking of Human Life Appendix 2: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of Allowing Someone to Die, Mercy Death, and Mercy Killing Appendix 3: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of Abortion Appendix 4: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing Appendix 5: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to the Moral Problems of Human Sexuality Appendix 6: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to Moral Problems in Medicine (Bioethics) Appendix 7: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to Moral Problems in Business (Business and Media Ethics) Appendix 8: Applying Humanitarian Ethics to Environmental Ethics Supplementary Reading Glossary Index

191 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article examined the bifurcation in the societal organizations of pre-modern China and Europe and focused on their distinct epitomizing social structures, the clan and the city, that sustain cooperation through different mixes of enforcement and intrinsic motivation.
Abstract: How to sustain cooperation is a key challenge for any society. Different social organizations have evolved in the course of history to cope with this challenge by relying on different combinations of external (formal and informal) enforcement institutions and intrinsic motivation. Some societies rely more on informal enforcement and moral obligations within their constituting groups. Others rely more on formal enforcement and general moral obligations towards society at large. How do culture and institutions interact in generating different evolutionary trajectories of societal organizations? Do contemporary attitudes, institutions, and behavior reflect distinct pre-modern trajectories? This paper addresses these questions by examining the bifurcation in the societal organizations of pre-modern China and Europe. It focuses on their distinct epitomizing social structures, the clan and the city, that sustain cooperation through different mixes of enforcement and intrinsic motivation. The Chinese clan is a kinship-based hierarchical organization in which strong moral ties and reputation among clan members are particularly important in sustaining cooperation. In Medieval Europe, by contrast, the main example of a cooperative organization is the city. Here cooperation is across kinship lines and external enforcement plays a bigger role. But morality and reputation,

191 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
20231,329
20222,639
2021652
2020815
2019825
2018831