Doing Ethics

Doing Ethics: Moral Reasoning and Contemporary Moral Issues, Seventh Edition, by Lewis Vaughn, is an introductory ethics textbook published by W. W. Norton & Company. The volume merges a theoretical primer, a moral reasoning guide, and an applied ethics anthology to support practical ethical analysis.

The thematic structure connects theoretical perspectives with contemporary moral debates. Conceptual coverage addresses subjectivism, relativism, emotivism, utilitarian consequentialism, Kantian nonconsequentialism, virtue ethics, and feminist care ethics. These perspectives guide student practice in examining complex topics, including climate change, euthanasia, tolerance and free speech, capital punishment, war and terrorism, and global economic justice.

To build analytical competence, the textbook dedicates five full chapters specifically to moral reasoning and critical thinking skills. This structural emphasis assists introductory ethics students and college learners in systematically evaluating moral arguments, analyzing underlying premises, and formulating reasoned ethical judgments across diverse practical contexts.