Book Review Ethics in Action: a Case-based Approach

There is a new method for teaching moral reasoning, and it does not require a traditional classroom. The Ethics Bowl began in 1993 when Professor Robert Ladenson organized a competition in which several teams debated resolutions to moral dilemmas. This first event, held at the Illinois Institute of Technology, was a success due to the fact that students not only achieved a deep and nuanced understanding of the moral issues surrounding each case, but they also learned how to develop comprehensive and clear arguments that fairly addressed those of the opposing position. In an article titled “The Educational Significance of the Ethics Bowl” (2001, Teaching Ethics, 1: 63-78), Ladenson notes that this kind of competitive team activity develops students’ capacity for ethical understanding, reasoning, and tolerance. Most importantly, it teaches students shared standards of ethical reasoning and judgment necessary to resolve the moral dilemmas and social policy issues they will encounter throughout their lives. The explosive growth of the National Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl is a testament to the value of this applied approach to teaching moral reasoning. The case-based approach to teaching moral reasoning spurred the development of this book, which is authored by members of the National Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl case-writing team. More than merely a reader for case studies and moral dilemmas, this text provides a model for moral reasoning and an opportunity to practice and hone one’s reasoning skills. Chapter 1 offers readers a basic framework for understanding moral concepts and principles, while Chapter 2 provides a clear method for analyzing moral dilemmas. In Chapter 1, Keller offers a brief discussion of metaethics and categorizations within normative ethics, and explains the relevant terms, concepts, and principles of major ethical theories. A short section details differences between ethics and religion, and he offers a nice explanation of Natural Law theory, emphasizing that moral judgments stemming from religious beliefs