First, do no unjust harm : recognizing and confronting evil / John S. Pletz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Pletz, John.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Good and evil.

Physical Description:

ix, 170 pages ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : University Press of America, [2003]

Summary:

First, Do No Unjust Harm provides a practical framework for identifying evil and other forms of immorality. In response to the common observation that so much wrong seems to be perpetrated in the name of doing good, Pletz has taken on the task of clarifying the manner in which careful judgments and decisions about evil should be made.

Contents:

Part I Recognizing Evil and Other Forms of Immorality

Chapter 1 A Brief Survey of Thoughts about the Nature of Evil 3

Chapter 2 The Essential Elements of Evil 23

The Element of Harm 26

The Element of Responsibility for the Harm 29

The Element of the Lack of Justification for the Harm 34

Chapter 3 Recognizing Evil 41

Recognizing the Element of Harm 42

Recognizing the Element of Responsibility for Causing Harm 45

Recognizing Causation 45

Recognizing the Capacity to Avoid Causing the Harm 49

Recognizing the Element of the Lack of Justification for the Harm 53

The Nature of the Means/Ends Defense 53

The Lack of Justification from the Perspective of the Victim 61

The Lack of Justification In the Larger Context 68

Chapter 4 Confirming The Presence of Evil and Other Forms of Immorality 81

Chapter 5 Degrees of Evil and Other Forms of Immorality 97

Part II Confronting Evil and Other Forms of Immorality

Chapter 6 Avoiding Personal Immorality 115

Reasons for Not Acting Immorally 117

Tactics for Avoiding Immorality 126

Chapter 7 Opposing Evil Around Us 135

Reasons for Opposing Evil Done by Others 136

Tactics for Opposing Evil Done by Others 139

The Ethical Choices For Victims 153.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0761825878

OCLC:

52387961