Contemporary Debates in Moral Theory

James Dreier is Professor of Philosophy at Brown University. He works mainly in meta-ethics, and has published articles on relativism, expressivism, moral realism, practical rationality, decision theory, and the structure of normative theories.

"...Dreier and his contributors are to be warmly commended for a high-quality volume which will be useful both to students and to those hoping to find fresh perspectives on some of the leading controversies in contemporary ethics and meta-ethics." Sarah Stroud, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Dreier has selected a terrific line-up of first-rate philosophers, and has added to their lucid and enjoyable pieces an excellent introduction of his own. The contributors not only summarize the current scholarly state of play, but often advance the discussion in novel and exciting ways." Russ Shafer-Landau, University of Wisconsin "Dreier's collection shows excellent judgment both in his choice of topics and authors. These essays clearly illustrate the fundamental issues in some vital debates in ethics, while displaying where important disputes remain." Daniel Jacobson, Bowling Green State University

• Notes on Contributors viiIntroduction xJames DreierPart I Normative Theory 1Is the Rightness of Action Determined by the Value of Consequences? 31 The Consequentialist Perspective 5William Shaw2 Against Maximizing Act Consequentialism 21Peter Vallentyne3 Reasons Without Demands: Rethinking Rightness 38Alastair NorcrossCan Contract Theory Ground Morality? 554 Moral Contractarianism as a Foundation for Interpersonal Morality 57Samuel Freeman5 Can Contract Theory Ground Morality? 77Philip PettitAre the Virtues the Proper Starting Point for Ethical Theory? 976 Are Virtues the Proper Starting Point for Morality? 99Rosalind Hursthouse7 Virtue Theory Julia Driver 113Part II Reason And Motivation 125Are Moral Requirements Derived from Reason? 1278 Reason, Sentiment, and Categorical Imperatives 129Samuel J. Kerstein9 Must We Weep for Sentimentalism? 144Simon BlackburnIs Motivation Internal to Moral Judgment? 16110 How Do Moral Judgments Motivate? 163Sigrún Svavarsdóttir11 Moral Motivation 182R. Jay WallacePart III Moral Facts And Explanations 197Is Morality Fully Factual? 19912 Moral Factualism 201Peter Railton13 Morality Without Moral Facts 220Terry Horgan and Mark TimmonsDo Moral Facts and Properties Explain Anything? 23914 Moral Explanations Defended 241Nicholas L. Sturgeon15 Moral Epistemology and the Because Constraint 263Nick ZangwillAre There General Moral Principles? 28316 Ethical Generality and Moral Judgment 285Robert Audi17 Defending Moral Particularism 305Mark Norris Lance and Margaret Olivia LittleIndex of Subjects 323Index of Names 330