Applied ethics
| Ethics |
| Theoretical |
|
Meta-ethics |
| Applied |
|
Medical ethics / Bioethics |
| Core issues |
|
Justice / Value |
| Key thinkers |
|
Aristotle / Confucius |
Modern approach
One modern approach which attempts to overcome the seemingly impossible divide between deontology and utilitarianism is case-based reasoning, also known as casuistry. Casuistry does not begin with theory, rather it starts with the immediate facts of a real and concrete case. While casuistry makes use of ethical theory, it does not view ethical theory as the most important feature of moral reasoning. Casuists, like Albert Jonsen and Stephen Toulmin (The Abuse of Casuistry 1988), challenge the traditional paradigm of applied ethics. Instead of starting from theory and applying theory to a particular case, casuists start with the particular case itself and then ask what morally significant features (including both theory and practical considerations) ought to be considered for that particular case. In their observations of medical ethics committees, Jonsen and Toulmin note that a consensus on particularly problematic moral cases often emerges when participants focus on the facts of the case, rather than on ideology or theory. Thus, a Rabbi, a Catholic priest, and an agnostic might agree that, in this particular case, the best approach is to withhold extraordinary medical care, while disagreeing on the reasons that support their individual positions. By focusing on cases and not on theory, those engaged in moral debate increase the possibility of agreement.
See also
- Animal rights
- Business ethics
- Environmental ethics
- Ethics
- Human rights issues (e.g. gender ethics / sexism, classism, racism, Capital punishment)
- Legal ethics
- Medical ethics / bioethics
- International ethics (e.g. world hunger)
- Military ethics (e.g. just war theory)
Bibliography
- Chadwick, R.F. (1997). Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics. London: Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-227065-7.
- Singer, Peter (1993). Practical Ethics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-43971-X. (monograph)
Anthologies
- LaFollette, Hugh (2002). Ethics in Practice (2nd Edition). Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0-631-22834-9.
- Singer, Peter (1986). Applied Ethics. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-875067-6.
- Frey, R.G. (2004). A Companion to Applied Ethics. Blackwell. ISBN 1-4051-3345-7.
External links
General
- Rock Ethics Institute at Pennsylvania State University
- Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at Australian National University, Charles Sturt University and University of Melbourne
- Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University
- W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics at the University of British Columbia
- Association for Practical and Professional Ethics at the University of Indiana
- Chris Young, How to teach an introduction to applied ethics
- HospitalityEthics.com
Journals
- Ethics (since 1890)
- The Journal of Ethics
- Journal of Applied Philosophy
- International Journal of Applied Philosophy
- International Journal of Philosophical Practice
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