Normative ethics is the study of what makes actions right or wrong, and includes such approaches as consequentialism, traditional deontology (including Kantian theory), virtue theory (including Aristotelian theory), and the ethics of care, a feminist approach. With contributions from over forty philosophers, The Oxford Handbook in Normative Ethics provides an overview of the major issues in contemporary normative ethics. The handbook begins with an introduction that provides an overview of the field and the relationships among the topics addressed in the volume. The chapters in Part I start with basic distinctions, introducing consequentialism, deontology, virtue theory, and value theory. Part II focuses on methodology in normative ethics and epistemological questions. Part III spotlights issues in responsibility and agency. Part IV is dedicated to general problems for normative theories, including particularism, collective action problems, and moral status.
