Ethics for Everyone: A Skills-Based Approach

by Larry R. Churchill

Most of us desire to be moral people, but too often we struggle to translate philosophical concepts about morality and ethics to everyday life. One way we can bridge this gap is by approaching ethics as skills that we can develop rather than a set of ideas we must grasp. Taking this practical approach, and writing especially for medicine, law, and business students trying to understand ethics in the real world Larry R. Churchill examines morality in the context of human experience. His book builds readers' understanding of ethics from the raw materials of moral life: the curiosity we feel when confronted with moral differences, the perplexities of practical life, and the satisfactions of moral growth.

The book orients ethics around the skills that are needed for sound ethical reflection and deliberation, acknowledging that ethical issues change as we change, and their concerns extend over a lifespan. To Churchill, learning and honing these personal and relational skills is the fundamental work of ethics and the foundation for judicious use of more theoretical approaches.

A succinct and compassionate guide to ethical living, this book draws from literature, as well as philosophical and religious writings. It encompasses both popular and underemphasized concepts, and demonstrates their centrality to ethics. Exercises and case studies reinforce the practical skills it teaches. Ethics for Everyone shows the wide range of skills and human capacities that make the field of ethics true to human experience. It is a book to be read and then re-read at life's major junctures.

208 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2020

Reviews

[Martyn Beeny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethics for Everyone offers a thoughtful and highly practical introduction to ethical decision making. Rather than treating ethics as abstract theory, Larry R. Churchill presents it as a collection of skills that can be developed through reflection, experience, and practice.

The clear writing, engaging examples, and real world case studies make complex moral questions approachable without sacrificing depth. An excellent resource for students, professionals, educators, and anyone seeking to cultivate wiser, more compassionate ethical judgment in everyday life.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book, using sections of this in my own ethics courses.
The focus on skills and providing (reflective) exercises is incredibly helpful to allow students (and everyone, really) to connect theory to their lived experiences of having to make choices in life.