Very Practical Ethics

Abstract

Abstract Very Practical Ethics discusses moral problems that ordinary people face in their everyday lives. These are not moral problems that arise only in extraordinary circumstances, nor those which are confronted only by select people in their professional or public roles. Instead, they are problems that most people face regularly. They are very practical issues, both because of their ubiquity and because individuals reaching conclusions about them are typically able to implement those conclusions readily. Among the questions asked are: When is sex morally permissible? What duties do I, as an individual, have with regard to the environment? When may one engage in practices such as smoking that might cause discomfort to, and increase risk for others? How extensive are an individual’s duties to give charity or otherwise assist the world’s poor and others in dire need of help? Is it morally permissible to consume animals and their products? When is language prejudicial? Is it wrong to swear? How should we address and refer to others? When, if ever, is controversial humour morally permissible? Is it always wrong to bullshit, or to fail to call out the bullshit of others? When should we forgive—and when should we not forgive?