Moral issues and questions abound in daily life. Media outlets frequently raise awareness of many, such as those concerning individuals' right to privacy. The same venues seldom, if ever, raise awareness of others, such as moral issues and questions concerning our fantasies. Regardless of the level of publicity various venues afford particular moral matters, most people who become aware of those matters find many interesting and important. A problem most encounter, however, is determining the criteria through which they should approach the moral matters they wish to engage. Ethicists have long sought a moral theory that would provide the desired criteria, but most will grant readily that those efforts have not produced a generally-accepted theory. This book presents the author's case that a kind of moral liberalism is the theory we should use to engage daily life's moral matters. The author presents a conception of moral liberalism, argues that it is the best approach to practical morality in a plural society, and applies it to several of morality's practical matters.
Earl Spurgin is professor of philosophy at John Carroll University. He specializes in ethics and social and political philosophy and is coauthor of Historical Dictionary of Ethics and coeditor of Ethics: Contemporary Readings. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Introduction: Genesis and Purpose of this Book / Part I Moral Liberalism / 1. Liberalism as a Moral, not just a Political, Doctrine / 2. Moral Liberalism's Basic Commitments / 3. Practical Morality and Plural Society / 4. Moral Liberalism's Broad Applicability / Part II Liberty of Internal States / 5. General Arguments regarding the Liberty of Internal States / 6. The Moral Liberty of Fantasies / 7. Why Schadenfreude is Morally Permissible / 8. Harmful Sports / Part III Liberty of External Acts / 9. General Arguments regarding the Liberty of External Acts / 10. Role-Model Status and Obligations / 11. African-American Athletes' and Celebrities' use of the N-Word / 12. Punishment by Nongovernmental Institutions / Part IV Obligations and Undue Burdens / 13. General Arguments regarding Obligations and Undue Burdens / 14. Social-Media Users' Duty to Self-Censor / 15. Collective Punishment, Penn State, and other Scandals / 16. Harmful Sports Revisited / Conclusion: A Final Case for Liberalism in Practical Morality
