Right Thing to Do

James Rachels was Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. He wrote The End of Life: Euthanasia and Morality, Created from Animals: The Moral Implications of Darwinism, Can Ethics Provide Answers? And Other Essays in Moral Philosophy, Problems from Philosophy, and The Legacy of Socrates: Essays in Moral Philosophy. Stuart Rachels retired from teaching philosophy in 2024. He has revised several of James Rachels’ books, including The Elements of Moral Philosophy and The Right Thing to Do. He also wrote The Best I Saw in Chess: Games, Stories and Instruction from an Alabama Prodigy Who Became U.S. Champion.

This is an incredible anthology. Relevant, diverse, and challenging essays tackle some of the most important issues in moral philosophy. I recommend the book unreservedly.

• *new to this editionPreface Introduction 1. A Short Introduction to Moral Philosophy, James Rachels2. Some Basic Points about Arguments, James RachelsIs Morality Objective? 3. The Subjectivity of Values, J. L. Mackie4. Our Sense of Right and Wrong, C. S. LewisTheoretical Essays 5. Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill6. Utilitarianism and Integrity, Bernard Williams7. The Experience Machine, Robert Nozick8. The Categorical Imperative, Immanuel Kant9. The Virtues, Aristotle10. Master Morality and Slave Morality, Friedrich Nietzsche11. Caring Relations and Principles of Justice, Virginia HeldGender and Race 12. Homeward Bound, Linda Hirshman13. The Case for Reparations, Ta-Nehisi Coates14. In Defense of Quotas, James RachelsSex, Date Rape, and Hazing15. Our Sexual Ethics, Bertrand Russell16. Alcohol and Rape, Nicholas Dixon17. A Death at Penn State, Caitlin FlanaganAbortion 18. Summary of the Dobbs Decision, The Court Reporter's Office of the U.S. Supreme Court19. On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion and Postscript on Infanticide, Mary Anne Warren20. Why Abortion Is Immoral , Don Marquis21. A Defense of Abortion, Judith Jarvis ThomsonPoverty22. Famine, Affluence, and Morality, Peter Singer*23. We Americans Neglect Our Children, Nicholas KristofClimate Change*24. Climate Change from A to Z, Elizabeth Kolbert*25. The Climate Peril We Overlook, Nicholas KristofIllicit Drugs 26. America’s Unjust Drug War, Michael Huemer27. Is Doping Wrong? , Peter SingerGuns 28. Why Guns Shouldn’t Be Outlawed, Michael Huemer*29. How to Persuade Americans to Give Up Their Guns, David Frum*30. A Smarter Way to Reduce Gun Deaths, Nicholas KristofImmigration and Taxes31. The Case for Open Immigration, Michael Huemer*32. If Liberals Won't Enforce Borders, Fascists Will, David Frum33. Is Taxation Theft?, Michael Huemer*34. The Authority of Government, Stuart RachelsAnimals 35. All Animals Are Equal, Peter Singer36. Torturing Puppies and Eating Meat: It’s All in Good Taste, Alastair Norcross Punishment and Torture 37. A Defense of the Death Penalty, Louis P. Pojman38. Hellhole, Atul Gawande39. Liberalism, Torture, and the Ticking Bomb, David LubanWar and Terrorism 40. Fifty Years after Hiroshima, John Rawls41. What Is Wrong with Terrorism?, Thomas NagelEuthanasia, Healthcare, and Cloning 42. The Morality of Euthanasia, James Rachels43. The Wrongfulness of Euthanasia, J. Gay-Williams44. Letting Go: What Should Medicine Do When It Can’t Save Your Life?, Atul Gawande45. Human Cloning and the Challenge of Regulation, John A. RobertsonMeaning and Hope 46. The Meaning of Life, Richard Taylor*47. The Case for Hope, Nicholas KristofIndex