Ethics 101: From Altruism and Utilitarianism to Bioethics and Political Ethics, an Exploration of the Concepts of Right and Wrong

Adams 101

by Brian Boone

Explore the mysteries of morality and the concept of right and wrong with this accessible, engaging guide featuring basic facts along with an overview of modern-day issues ranging from business ethics and bioethics to political and social ethics.Ethics 101 offers an exciting look into the history of moral principles that dictate human behavior. Unlike traditional textbooks that overwhelm, this easy-to-read guide presents the key concepts of ethics in fun, straightforward lessons and exercises featuring only the most important facts, theories, and ideas. Ethics 101 includes unique, accessible elements such -Explanations of the major moral philosophies including utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and eastern philosophers including Avicenna, Buddha, and Confucius. -Classic thought exercises including the trolley problem, the sorites paradox, and agency theory -Unique profiles of the greatest characters in moral philosophy -An explanation of modern applied ethics in bioethics, business ethics, political ethics, professional ethics, organizational ethics, and social ethics From Plato to Jean-Paul Sartre and utilitarianism to antirealism, Ethics 101 is jam-packed with enlightening information that you can’t get anywhere else!

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, History, Politics, Education, Reference, Business

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2017

About the author

Brian Boone has contributed material to Funny or Die, The Onion, Bunny Ears, Vulture, ClickHole, RiffTrax, CBC Comedy, The New Yorker, MAD, Weekly Humorist, Looper, Someecards, How Stuff Works, and many high profile podcasts. He's the author of many children's joke books, the music trivia title I Love Rock n' Roll (Except When I Hate It) and is a longtime contributor and editor for the Uncle John's Bathroom Reader series. He lives in San Verguenza, California, with his family.

Reviews

[William Schram · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short crash course in Ethics and how it relates to life in general. I really had no issues with this book besides the price, which seems rather exorbitant. However, I don't know how they arrive at prices for books.

Split into several chapters, the book starts by talking about historical attempts to deal with ethics and the situations presented by life in general. Most of it is imparted by way of thought experiments. This part is organized chronologically. It starts with Socrates and goes up through Aristotle before switching gears and talking about the major schools of thought that dealt with Ethical Situations.

The final section of the book talks about age-old paradoxes and ideas that didn't seem related to ethics at all. Take the Sorites Paradox for instance; that is the idea of when something can be called something. The most common example is that of a heap of sand. When is that pile of sand not a pile of sand? If you were to take the pile of sand away, grain by grain, when would that pile cease to be a pile? Obviously, one grain of sand doesn't make a pile or heap of sand, but when does its innate heap property arise?

The book also talks about the Ship of Theseus problem. This one also didn't seem related to Ethics at first glance. The Ship of Theseus refers to the Ship that this ancient, legendary figure known as Theseus was said to own. It was made up of wooden planks, and as a plank would rot it would be replaced. Over the centuries or however long it took, the boat was essentially replaced and none of the original planks remained. So then, would it still be proper to call it the Ship of Theseus?

So all in all, the book was quite informative and entertaining. Like I mentioned, my only problem is that the book is quite expensive for its size.

[Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

For what this book is trying to achieve it does so effectively. This isn’t a book that I personally read straight through or picked up everyday because it reads mostly like a textbook and though it is short it would probably not be interesting enough to read straight through. I say this not because the topics aren’t interesting because they certainly are and very important but I say this because the tone of the book is very dry and to the point as it should be for a crash course on ethics.

As a student of philosophy that took a university level course on ethics, I think this book summed up my course very well and in great detail. You might even learn a little more than we did in class which is quite impressive. If you’re wanting to learn more about Ethics, how it is applied in society and where it is rooted from then this is a great book for you!

[Chris Boutté · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the better books I’ve come across on the topic of moral philosophy. Many books over-complicate and make it difficult for people who aren’t philosophy majors. Brian Boone did an excellent job breaking down various philosophers throughout history, and what I loved the most was that he didn’t stick to the same few that many books do. Of course, he covers Bentham, Kant, Aristotle, and others, but there’s so much more. One chapter is dedicated to Eastern philosophy, and there are some from the Middle East as well. I learned a ton from this book and definitely recommend it for those interested in the topic (and for what it’s worth, I personally think everyone should be interested in this topic).

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

For what it was, which was an overview of a vast body of knowledge covering thousands of years of work, this was a really well written and easily digested book. Of particular interest to me personally were some of the more modern discussions surrounding things like abortion, the death penalty, and politics. That's likely because the old arguments and discussions about Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and the like have become just that - old arguments.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in morality and ethics in general or in a particular area as it's likely discussed in here. However, this is meant to be a primer, not a massive comprehensive text on the subject so if you're looking for something that goes into exhaustive detail then you should skip over this. There are certainly more detailed works on specific subcategories of all the fields.

[Patricia Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful overview

[Zain · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the job it’s trying to do it does its job very well. It’s a short “crash course” of everything ethics related and how it relates to daily life.

There are instances where I feel like I wish, it went a bit deeper like w Nietzsche and Camus but I get it there is so much to go through with any one of them so the author needs to be very selective on what he chooses to share. Which I think he does a good idea at capturing the main elements of each philosopher/philosophy


Did it change my mind or affect my way of thinking, no… not at all. But that isn’t the purpose of the book, again it is just supposed to get a persons feet wet regarding ethics. And for that it does a fantastic job.

Would I recommend this… it depends if you really want to learn about ethics most of the stuff could be found online especially w ai

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a lot out of this. It's a collage presentation of philosophers' views on ethics. I've read some philosophers works, but I think I needed this generalization because I found some new stuff to read.

[Alana · Rating 2 out of 5]

how are you going to have multiple chapters dedicated just to the greeks and then put all non-western ethics into one chapter and not even acknowledge that south america exists. the ethics puzzles at the end were fun.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't recommend this book. It is OK for skimming for an overview of what different types of philosophy and ethics are, or for seeing who the major players are and how they relate to a kind of ethics or school of thought. But the explanations leave a lot to be desired.
The author's takes are occasionally head scratching and often present things as matter of fact when really they are a sliver of the whole or a gross oversimplification. Sometimes the writing is confusing and contradictory. It's like talking to That Guy at the bar. Maybe he's a philosophy major and while he knows stuff, he is not good at all at explaining it (dear lord, don't ever be a graduate TA) and he is dismissive of some other very good points.

[Hamid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to ethics, from ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle to more recent ones like Kant, Hume, and others. It covers issues like divine command theory, ethical relativism, deontological ethics, consequentialism, utilitarianism, etc.

[Arda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Etikile ilgili soru işaretlerim olduğu için aldığım kitap kafamdaki soru işaretlerini cevaplayarak daha fazla soru işaretleri açtı. Müthiş bir keyifle okudum özellike 9. bölüm benim için çok eğlenceliydi tavsiye ediyorum.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid primer on different ethical schools of thought and a solid 4.5 stars. I learned a lot about the history of ethics and it gave me a number of topics where I'd like to pursue more in-depth exploration. (If anyone can recommend a good basic book on Buddhism, Taoism, or Nietzsche, I'd appreciate it!) Boone takes a welcome, neutral tone on most of these topics, although towards the end he does show some bias regarding the arguments for and against GMOs. I particularly appreciated his short sections on the shortcomings and criticisms of each ethical school, as that was more instructive to me than the basic information about each. My only major criticisms are the section on Kantian ethics, particularly the "Categorical Imperative", which is still not completely clear to me, and the very superficial overview of modern major ethical dilemmas.. His Divine Command Theory paradox explanation gave me more insight into how my brain is sorting religious actions into admirable and despicable in day-to-day life. Since the practical application of ethical theory is ultimately the point, I found this incredibly useful.

Recommended to readers who want a better grounding in the structure of ethics and moral philosophy but are unsure where/if they want to do a deep dive. This would also be a good choice for teens or advanced middle school readers.

[CKane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This slim volume is exactly what the cover promises: a fast-paced, high-level sweep through centuries of moral theory, the kind of overview that reminds us why we once found philosophy thrilling and mildly headache-inducing at the same time.

As my own work shifts into the realm of emerging tech ethics, I found it a welcome refresher. Just enough Plato, Kant, and Mill to reorient the compass with a few modern dilemmas thrown in to keep it honest.

That said, a few sections did raise a wry smile. The parts on political ethics, for instance, reads like it was written in a gentler era, where checks and balances still functioned and truth wasn’t something we routinely argue about on cable news.

Still, it’s a handy little book. Good for students, clergy, strategists, and anyone else trying to explain why “the right thing” so often depends on who’s doing the talking and from where they’re talking. Four stars for clarity, conciseness, and the unintentional comedy of optimistic civics.

[Kevin Parkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

You get what you get with this book - it's a textbook introduction to ethics. For what it is, it's a good one. Most of his explanations also included examples - I found those sections to be most beneficial. At times I did find myself dozing off a bit, but that's more a result of the subject matter (which can occasionally get dense), rather than any problems with the author. I'd recommend it if you're looking for an intro to ethics.

[Elizabeth Huffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the textbook for my ethics class, and my main complaint is the lack of women in its contents. I understand the social norms during the golden age of philosophy but it seems rather unlikely for there to be absolutely no women that contributed at least a little to philosophy. Even in my college class, the only women we have discussed is Ayn Rand, which is rather disappointing. Overall, very informative but that one detail tanked the rating for me.

[Jezzeri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Morality is about the good-bad duality. Ethics refers to the rules that form those moral codes and that also come from those moral codes. Ethics lead to quantifiable values, and those values are the handful of qualities that direct good behavior. "True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us."-Socrates. Aristotle believed that good character was the very prescription for happiness.

[Jake Ignatowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting deep dive into humanity and good vs bad really makes you question your beliefs and brings up important questions and concerns/critiques in and about today’s society and norms in today’s society. Relatively fast read, and very interesting makes for an overall good book, even though I did find myself spacing out at some points. I give it 4/5.

[S. Wh · Rating 4 out of 5]

There have been scribbles on this book. Left, right and center.
It's a crash course in ethics just like the title mentions and you get exactly that in a very engaging and succinct manner. The many examples and references make for a good base for personal research.
Ethics here are mainly of a western point of view, though occidental thoughts are mentioned briefly.

[Dereck ColonVelez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethics is very volatile and there are many ideas on the matter. This book just helps you understand the basics of each school of thought. Made me go into 6 month deeper dive in to the subject so it was fun for me. Definitely recommend starting ethical dilemmas in the office, people will get riled up about it.

[Don Putnam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just finished a Philosophy 101 course, this was a good book in terms of review for the ethics portion. Towards the end of the book, the author hits on modern ethical conversations as well as the age-old thought experiments.

Good, easy-listening book.

[Todd Cheng · Rating 4 out of 5]

An academic unfolding of the history, contributions, and themes of Western, Asian, and Arabic ethics. Interesting raw exposure to the bias of sophists that influence modern ethics. An example of where the outcome does justify the means.

[PixieART · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a title suggests it's a great start for learning about ethics. Teaches a little from multiple ways of thinking, and the lives and ideas of great philosophers, along with popular thought exercises.Worth a second read to study more closely.

[Gareth Brewin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eaay to understand for a layman.

A nice, concise overview of how ethics and basic philosophy work. All examples used were easy to undrrstand and avoided straying into academic terms, so anyone with a passing interest will be able to follow the subject easily

[Kristin Galis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for quick study!

Perfect & decently priced. Helped a ton with my undergrad Ethics class this semester. I would highly recommend this book

[Naight · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is far enough above a 'dummies' book, and far enough below a philosophy (history of Western thought) text book that it was just about my level of understanding.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview.

[Daniel Macgregor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good primer, little thin on substance, but short and sweet.

[Menachem Jacobs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun review of the material that one would find in an undergrad ethics course.

Wish the author brought down sources to the referenced texts.

[Michael Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some points are misrepresented in my opinion and some terms are simplified to the level of detriment without previous exposure

[Evren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really nice and neat overall view of Ethics for anyone starting out in the subject. A good book to keep in your bag with sticky-notes and highlighters!