A reader writes in:
I haven't been using a textbook for my ethics classes, but I'm beginning to think maybe I should. I've put together readings of my own for the class, but I worry that they don't cover some topics as well as others and the difficulty varies a bit (there's one or two that I'm pretty sure are too hard for the average student who takes my classes). I also suspect that I'm violating of some copyright laws with my current set up…Anyway, I wanted to know what book people used for intro to ethics classes and what they thought of it.
I've been using Steven Cahn's Ethics: History, Theory, and Contemporary Issues anthology for years, mostly because I've always preferred using primary sources. Actual ethics textbooks (written by a single author) tend to rub me the wrong way, as I usually find myself having problems with the way they present issues. First, I tend to think they provide students with too many "answers", typically telling students "what to think" more than developing their ability to think for and interpret philosophical texts for themselves. Second, I often find myself dissatisfied with interpretations of key concepts in ethics textbooks (e.g. how to interpret the categorical imperative), as complex and contentious philosophical disagreements may be passed over in favor of simplifications. That being said, I've been reconsidering my use of the Cahn text, in part because I find its contemporary moral issues section a bit thin and outdated. So, I'd benefit from hearing which ethics texts people use and why, as well!
So, then, all of you ethics instructors out there. Which text(s) do you use? Why?
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