Theorists working on metaethics and the nature of normativity typically study goodness, rightness, what ought to be done, and so on. In their investigations they employ and consider our actual normative concepts. But the actual concepts of goodness, rightness, and what ought to be done are only some of the possible normative concepts there are. There are other possible concepts, ascribing different properties. Matti Eklund explores the consequences of this thought, for example for the debate over normative realism, and for the debate over what it is for concepts and properties to be normative. Conceptual engineering - the project of considering how our concepts can be replaced by better ones - has become a central topic in philosophy. Eklund applies this methodology to central normative concepts and discusses the special complications that arise in this case. For example, since talk of improvement is itself normative, how should we, in the context, understand talk of a concept being better?

(3) The strong state

Virtue ethics occupies the strange position of being one of the oldest and most prominently discussed ethical theories throughout history, and yet many contemporary moral philosophers do not recognize it as a genuine alternative to currently prominent normative theories, such as utilitarianism or Kantian ethics. In Virtue Rediscovered: Deontology, Consequentialism, and Virtue Ethics in the Contemporary Moral Landscape, Nathan Wood argues that this discrepancy requires us to rethink how we understand the function and purpose of normative ethical theories, especially insofar as such theories are expected to be action guiding. All ethical theories guide action, but they do so in two different ways. One way is through stipulating criteria for what we ought to do, but another way is setting a core concern that represents an account of what lies at the heart of morality and determines the moral salience of features in the world. This framework not only clarifies the nature of deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics, but also recasts the debate among them.

Examines the impact of choices on the formation of young women's individual identities.

Applied ethics, a subdiscipline of philosophy, lends itself to an encyclopedia format because of the many industries and intellectual fields that it encompasses. The Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics is based on twelve major categories, such as Biomedical Ethics and Environmental Ethics. Religious traditions that embody normative beliefs, as well as classical theories of ethics, are explored in a non-judgmental manner. Each of the twelve categories is divided into discrete areas that are covered by 5,000-6,000 word articles. Each of the 281 articles begins with a definition of the subject and includes a table of contents, glossary of key terms, and bibliography. Second- and third- level headings, boxes, sidebars, and the like emphasize the reference-oriented nature of the material. The four volumes are arranged in an A-Z format, with a complete subject index at the end of the last volume. Articles are written by international experts, arranged alphabetically by title, not by subject, and cross-referenced so the reader can locate relevant information in other articles.

A series of topical philosophy studies aiming to publish original essays by foremost thinkers in their fields, with each volume confined to a main area of philosophical research.

"Political Philosophy, Clearly delivers on the promise of its title: essays that tackle foundational political issues such as the relationship between justice and liberty, the role of property, and the effect of confusing liberty with "rights" and justice with "fairness." Although these issues are complex, Jasay lays out his libertarian philosophy with clarity and passion." "The articles collected in this volume delve deeply into the realm of political thought and its philosophical criticism. They will appeal to students of philosophy, politics, and economics, or anyone who is interested in a clear, jargon-free account of libertarian thought." --Book Jacket.

Packed with essential information, this valuable volume helps future business management professionals learn to make and support managerial decisions, providing a thorough understanding of the support aspect of DSS. Written from a cognitive processes and decision-making perspective, it concentrates on issues that emphasize managerial applications and the implication of decision support technology on those issues. The volume examines data warehouses, intelligent software agents and DSS system development, as well as an introduction to decision support systems, decision in the organization, modeling decision processes, group decision support and groupware technologies, executive information systems, expert systems and artificial intelligence, knowledge engineering and acquisition, and data mining and data visualization. For Data Warehouse Administrators, CIO and Directors of Information Systems.

Includes appendix 653-660 pp., index 661-676 pp.