A comprehensive and systematic learning approach for beginners to the study of morality and applied ethics. Reasoning and critical thinking skills are developed to facilitate the application of moral theories to practical ethical problems. Students will learn to deal with everyday moral conflicts and social controversies in a rational, theoretically informed fashion.

Unique in its overall scope, the text consists of three components: theories. reasoning skills, and applications. In Part One a brief preliminary explanation of morality is provided after which some traditional ethical theories are discussed. Beginning students will gain a solid theoretical foundation upon which practical moral issues can be analyzed and debated. In Part Two the nature of ethics is further clarified in terms of how science and philosophy differ in their approaches to moral inquiry. Students are also introduced to the basic forms of logical thinking needed to construct, analyze, and evaluate moral arguments. Part Three, the applied section of the book, features original writings on contemporary moral problems accompanied by learning aids designed to facilitate better comprehension and mastery of the material.

Built into the structure of this text is a pedagogical tool called SOUL- highlighting the Student Orientation for Understanding and Learning. The system includes: chapter overviews, educational objectives, focus questions, margin indicators, highlighted key terms, progress checks, study exercises, self-tests, summaries and synopses, and further readings, references, and notes. In addition, difficult moral theories have been distilled and paraphrased into easily understood contemporary English.