Ethical Theories Index Page

This page was last modified November 8, 2010.

Contents
I. Descriptive Ethical Theory
    A. Nietzsche's Mature Philosophy (lecture notes by Dr. Garrett)
    B. Kohlberg and Gilligan on Moral Development
    C. George Lakoff and Mark Johnson on Morality, Metaphor, and Imagination
II. Normative Ethical Theory
    A. W. D. Ross
    B. John Rawls
    C. Libertarianism
    D. Sen's and Nussbaum's Theory of Capabilities
    E. Immanuel Kant
    F. Utilitarianism
    G. Care Ethics
    H. (Aristotole's) Virtue Theory
    I. Ethics of Right Relationships

I. Descriptive Ethical Theories

A. Kohlberg and Gilligan's Theories of Moral Development

B. Materials on Metaphor, Morality, and Reason Related to Lakoff's and Johnson's Work
    1. The Metaphorical Basis of Morality (restored: 11-19-08)
    2. Metaphor, Morality, and Politics by George Lakoff (link added 9-17 for your convenience)
    3. Selections from Johnson Moral Imagination (9-24-04)
    4. Notes on Classical and Imaginative Reason (now available)

II. Normative Ethical Theories

A. A (Relatively) Simple Ethical Theory Inspired by W. D. Ross

B. John Rawls

    1. John Rawls on Justice (reflects Rawls' early work, from the 1970's)
    2. Dr. Jan Garrett, Strange Angels: A (Rawlsian) Fable (link added 11-04)
    3. Rawls' Mature Philosophy of Social Justice (2-27-03)
    4. Study Questions on John Rawls (relates to item 3, just above) (2-5-02)
    5. John Rawls on Moral Principles for Individuals
        Implications for Contract and Due Care Theories, and Rights to Privacy
    6. Employee Rights: Rawlsian Perspectives

Autonomy-Centered Liberalism (basic level, new link 2-27-03)

C. Libertarianism

    1. Libertarianism: A Brief Summary (basic level)
    2. Common Misunderstandings of Libertarianism (basic level)
    3. The Limits of Libertarianism (intermediate level)
    4. Autonomy Liberalism and Libertarianism Compared (new chart: 3-2003)

D. Amartya Sen's and Martha Nussbaum's Theory of Capabilities

    1. Amartya Sen's Ethic of Substantial Freedom (Revised August 2005)
    2. Martha Nussbaum on Capabilities and Human Rights (1-27-04)
    3. Nussbaum and Natural Law Ethics: Capability Theory and the Human Goods (draft: 10-4-05)

E. Kant

    1. Immanuel Kant's Categorical Imperative
    2. PHIL 350 Lectures on Kant's Ethics (new: 10-12-04)
    3. Kant's Letter to Hume (A Pedagogical "Forgery") (new: 10-3-06)
    4. Matthew Hachee, "Kant, Race, and Reason"

F. Utilitarianism: Some Basic Observations

G. Care Theory

H. Virtue Ethics
    Introduction to (Aristotelian) Virtue Ethics
    A Dialogue on Aristotle's Ethics (basic)

I. Ethics of Right Relationships

    1. John A. Humbach, "Towards a Natural Justice of Right Relationships"
    2. J. Garrett, Toward an Ethics of Right Relations