Includes bibliographical references and index.

What is ethics? -- Ethical relativism -- Moral objectivism -- Value and the quest for the good -- Social contract theory and the motive to be moral -- Egoism, self-interest, and altruism -- Utilitarianism -- Kant and deontological theories -- Virtue theory -- Biology and ethics -- Gender and ethics -- Religion and ethics -- The fact-value problem -- Moral realism and the challenge of skepticism.

This book offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of the fundamental objectives and outlooks of ethical theory--