What's Wrong?

Applied Ethicists and Their Critics

Second Edition

Edited by David Boonin and Graham Oddie

Now in a second edition, What's Wrong? Applied Ethicists and Their Critics presents a thorough and engaging exploration of twenty-eight contemporary ethical issues. Employing a unique approach to teaching argumentation, editors David Boonin and Graham Oddie open each chapter with an influential article that takes a strong stand on a particular issue; the essays that immediately follow offer objections and critical responses to the arguments put forth in the featured selection. Offering more than eighty readings organized into five parts--killing, sex, the family, race relations, and the state--the book includes seminal essays by prominent philosophers alongside work by newer voices in the field. Addressing five new cutting-edge issues--overpopulation, campus hate speech codes, hate crime laws, torture, and global warming--the second edition includes fifteen new readings and adds a new section on applied ethics and ethical theory to the general introduction.

What's Wrong?

Applied Ethicists and Their Critics

Second Edition

Edited by David Boonin and Graham Oddie

Description

Is abortion morally permissible? Is it wrong to hunt animals for sport or to slaughter them for food? Should human cloning be permitted? Is torture ever justified?
Now in a second edition, What's Wrong? Applied Ethicists and Their Critics presents a thorough and engaging exploration of these complex questions and twenty-four other contemporary ethical issues. Employing a unique approach to teaching argumentation, editors David Boonin and Graham Oddie open each chapter with an influential article that takes a strong stand on a particular issue; the essays that immediately follow offer objections and critical responses to the arguments put forth in the featured selection. This format helps students learn how to better engage in debates because it illustrates how philosophers argue with each other. Featuring a new section on applied ethics and ethical theory, the general introduction to this second edition also describes strategies for understanding and evaluating the different types of arguments contained in the readings. Detailed part and chapter introductions--streamlined in this edition--enable students to see precisely how the arguments presented in the various writings are related to one another. Questions for Consideration and updated and expanded Further Reading Lists are included at the end of each chapter.
Featuring more than eighty readings organized into five parts--killing, sex, the family, race relations, and the state--What's Wrong? includes seminal essays by prominent philosophers alongside work by newer voices in the field. Addressing five new cutting-edge issues--overpopulation, campus hate speech codes, hate crime laws, torture, and global warming--the second edition includes fifteen new readings. Ideal for courses in applied ethics/contemporary moral problems and introduction to ethics, What's Wrong?, Second Edition, can also be used in critical thinking courses that emphasize philosophical argumentation.

Previous publication dates

November 2004

What's Wrong?

Applied Ethicists and Their Critics

Second Edition

Edited by David Boonin and Graham Oddie

*=New to this edition
Acknowledgments
Introduction: What's Wrong with Arguing?
PART 1. WHAT'S WRONG WITH KILLING?
1. Is Killing in War Wrong?
Fullinwider and His Critics
Robert K. Fullinwider, "War and Innocence"
Critic
Lawrence A. Alexander, "Self-Defense and the Killing of Noncombatants: A Reply to Fullinwider"
2. Is Euthanasia Wrong?
Rachels and His Critics
James Rachels, "Active and Passive Euthanasia"
Critics
Winston Nesbitt, "Is Killing No Worse Than Letting Die?"
Roy W. Perrett, "Killing, Letting Die, and the Bare Difference Argument"
3. Is Abortion Wrong?
Marquis and His Critics
Don Marquis, "Why Abortion Is Immoral"
Critics
Gerald H. Paske, "Abortion and the Neo-Natal Right to Life: A Critique of Marquis's Futurist Argument"
Alastair Norcross, "Killing, Abortion, and Contraception: A Reply to Marquis"
Peter K. McInerney, "Does a Fetus Already Have a Future-Like-Ours?"
Thomson and Her Critics
Judith Jarvis Thomson, "A Defense of Abortion"
Critics
Baruch Brody, "Thomson on Abortion"
Francis J. Beckwith, "Arguments from Bodily Rights: A Critical Analysis"
4. Is Killing Nonhuman Animals Wrong?
Regan and His Critics
Tom Regan, "The Case for Animal Rights"
Critics
Jan Narveson, "On a Case for Animal Rights"
R.G. Frey, "Why Animals Lack Beliefs and Desires"
R.G. Frey, "The Case Against Animal Rights"
Alan White, "Rights"
5. Is Failing to Contribute to Famine Relief Wrong?
Singer and His Critics
Peter Singer, "Famine, Affluence, and Morality"
Critics
John Arthur, "World Hunger and Moral Obligation: The Case Against Singer"
Michael Slote, "Famine, Affluence, and Empathy"
PART 2. WHAT'S WRONG WITH SEX?
6. Is Homosexuality Wrong?
Levin and His Critics
Michael Levin, "Why Homosexuality Is Abnormal"
Critics
Timothy F. Murphy, "Homosexuality and Nature: Happiness and the Law at Stake"
7. Is "Outing" Homosexuals Wrong?
Mohr and His Critics
Richard D. Mohr, "The Case for Outing"
Critics
James S. Stramel, "Outing, Ethics, and Politics: A Reply to Mohr"
David J. Mayo and Martin Gunderson, "Privacy and the Ethics of Outing"
8. Is Adultery Wrong?
Wasserstrom and His Critics
Richard Wasserstrom, "Is Adultery Immoral?"
Critics
Bonnie Steinbock, "Adultery"
Don Marquis, "What's Wrong with Adultery?"
9. Is Antioch's "Sexual Offense Policy" Wrong?
Soble and His Critics
Alan Soble, "Antioch's 'Sexual Offense Policy': A Philosophical Exploration"
Critic
Eva Feder Kittay, "AH! My Foolish Heart: A Reply to Soble's 'Antioch's "Sexual Offense Policy": A Philosophical Exploration'"
10. Is Prostitution Wrong?
Ericsson and His Critics
Lars O. Ericsson, "Charges Against Prostitution: An Attempt at a Philosophical Assessment"
Critics
Carole Pateman, "Defending Prostitution: Charges Against Ericsson"
Laurie Shrage, "Should Feminists Oppose Prostitution?"
Karen Green, "Prostitution, Exploitation, and Taboo"
PART 3. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE FAMILY?
11. Is the Traditional Family Wrong?
Sommers and Her Critics
Christina Hoff Sommers, "Philosophers Against the Family"
Critics
Claudia Mills, "The Ties That Bind: Duties to Family Members"
12. Is Neglecting One's Parents Wrong?
English and Her Critics
Jane English, "What Do Grown Children Owe Their Parents?"
Critics
Nicholas Dixon, "The Friendship Model of Filial Obligations"
13. Is Same-Sex Marriage Wrong?
Jordan and His Critics
Jeff Jordan, "Is It Wrong to Discriminate on the Basis of Homosexuality?"
Critics
David Boonin, "Same-Sex Marriage and the Argument from Public Disagreement"
Andrew Sullivan, "Virtually Normal: An Argument About Homosexuality"
14. Is Licensing Parents Wrong?
LaFollette and His Critics
Hugh LaFollette, "Licensing Parents"
Critics
Lawrence E. Frisch, "On Licentious Licensing: A Reply to Hugh LaFollette"
Pierre Lemieux, "Parent Licensing"
15. Is Commercial Surrogate Motherhood Wrong?
Anderson and Her Critics
Elizabeth S. Anderson, "Is Women's Labor a Commodity?"
Critics
Richard J. Arneson, "Commodification and Commercial Surrogacy"
Alan Wertheimer, "Two Questions About Surrogacy and Exploitation"
* NEW CHAPTER: 16. Is Causing Overpopulation Wrong?
Parfit and His Critics
* Derek Parfit, "Overpopulation and the Quality of Life"
Critics
* Thomas Hurka, "Value and Population Size"
* Don Locke, "The Parfit Population Problem"
PART 4. WHAT'S WRONG WITH RACE RELATIONS?
17. Are Reparations for Slavery Wrong?
Horowitz and His Critics
David Horowitz, "Ten Reasons Why Reparations for Blacks Is a Bad Idea for Blacks--and Racist, Too!"
Critics
Robert Chrisman and Ernest Allen, Jr., "Ten Reasons: A Response to David Horowitz"
Randall Robinson, "America's Debt to Blacks"
18. Is Affirmative Action Wrong?
Himma and His Critics
* Kenneth Einar Himma, "Discrimination and Disidentification: The Fair-Start Defense of Affirmative Action"
Critic
* Lisa Newton, "A Fair Defense of a False Start: A Reply to Kenneth Himma"
* NEW CHAPTER: 19. Are Campus Hate Speech Codes Wrong?
Meyers and Her Critics
* Diana Tietjens Meyers, "Rights in Collision: A Non-Punitive, Compensatory Remedy for Abusive Speech"
Critic
* Thomas W. Peard, "Diana Tietjens Meyers's Remedy for Abusive Speech: Objections"
* NEW CHAPTER: 20. Are Hate Crime Laws Wrong?
Wellman and His Critics
* Christopher Heath Wellman, "A Defense of Stiffer Penalties for Hate Crimes"
Critic
* Heidi M. Hurd, "Why Liberals Should Hate 'Hate Crime Legislation'"
21. Does Racial Discrimination Make Capital Punishment Wrong?
Nathanson and His Critics
Stephen Nathanson, "Does It Matter If the Death Penalty Is Arbitrarily Administered?"
Critic
Ernest van den Haag, "Refuting Nathanson"
22. Is Racial Profiling Wrong?
Levin and His Critics
Michael Levin, "Responses to Race Differences in Crime"
Critics
Laurence Thomas, "Statistical Badness"
Louis P. Pojman, "Race and Crime: A Response to Michael Levin and Laurence Thomas"
PART 5. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE STATE?
23. Is a Government Ban on Human Cloning Wrong?
The President's Council on Bioethics and Its Critics
* President's Council on Bioethics, "Human Cloning and Human Dignity: An Ethical Inquiry"
Critics
David B. Elliott, "Uniqueness, Individuality, and Human Cloning"
David B. Hershenov, "An Argument for Limited Human Cloning"
24. Is a Government Ban on Tobacco Wrong?
Goodin and His Critics
Robert Goodin, "No Smoking"
Critics
Daniel Shapiro, "Smoking Tobacco: Irrationality, Addiction, and Paternalism"
Graham Oddie, "Addiction and the Value of Freedom"
25. Is Legal Punishment Wrong?
Barnett and His Critics
Randy E. Barnett, "Restitution: A New Paradigm of Criminal Justice"
Critics
Franklin G. Miller, "Restitution and Punishment: A Reply to Barnett"
Roger Pilon, "Criminal Remedies: Restitution, Punishment, or Both?"
Stanley S. Kleinberg, "Criminal Justice and Private Enterprise"
* NEW CHAPTER: 26. Is Issuing Warrants to Torture Wrong?
Dershowitz and His Critics
* Alan Dershowitz, "Tortured Reasoning"
Critics
* Elaine Scarry, "Five Errors in the Reasoning of Alan Dershowitz"
* Alan Dershowitz, "Reply to Scarry"
27. Is Redistributive Taxation Wrong?
Nozick and His Critics
Robert Nozick, "Distributive Justice"
Critic
Alan H. Goodman, "The Entitlement Theory of Distributive Justice"
* NEW CHAPTER: 28. Is Ignoring Global Warming Wrong?
Traxler and His Critics
* Martino Traxler, "Fair Chore Division for Climate Change"
Critic
* Stephen Gardiner, "Ethics and Global Climate Change"

What's Wrong?

Applied Ethicists and Their Critics

Second Edition

Edited by David Boonin and Graham Oddie

Reviews and Awards

"I consider this to be the best collection available in applied ethics in terms of teaching students about constructing and understanding philosophical argument."--Clare Palmer, Washington University in St. Louis

"Each chapter is structured around not only a specific moral debate, but a particular argument. In this way, students receive a much more thorough exposure to current debates in applied ethics. By contrast, other ethics textbooks seem somewhat superficial, providing numerous readings without necessarily challenging readers to engage with moral debates in their full complexity."--Joshua Shaw, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College