Common Morality

Bernard Gert is Stone Professor of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, Dartmouth College. He is also the author of Morality: Its Nature and Justification, and co-author of Bioethics, and Morality and the New Genetics.

• IntroductionSome Areas of Widespread AgreementDistinguishing Features of Moral JudgmentsRationality and Human NatureAreas of Moral DisagreementAnalogy between Morality and GrammarPart I: The Moral SystemFeatures of the Moral SystemThe Moral RulesThe Moral IdealsGeneral Characteristics of Moral RulesInterpreting the RulesViolations of Moral Rules Involve Liability to PunishmentJustifying Violations of the Moral RulesThe Two-Step Procedure for Justifying Violations of the Moral RulesMoral Virtues an VicesSummary and TestPart II: The Moral TheoryThe Justification of MoralityCharacteristics of Moral AgentsKnowledge or Beliefs Required of All Moral AgentsIrrationality and RationalityRationality as Maximizing Satisfaction of DesiresObjectively Irrational ActionsPersonally Irrational ActionsReasons Versus MotivesAll Reasons Have Justifying ForceReasons and DesiresAdequate ReasonsRationality, Morality, and Self-InterestImpartialityTwo Philosophical Attempts to Achieve Moral ImpartialityJustifying Moral ImpartialityWhy Act Morally?Morality as an Informal Public SystemThe Role of Governments in Settling Unresolvable Moral DisagreementsRightsThe Consequences of Morality Not Always Providing a Unique Correct AnswerA Complete Moral TheoryConclusionFlow ChartsNotesGlossaryIndex

Bernard Gert's descriptive account of morality may very well be one of the most commendable contributions to the moral philosophy produced in the later part of the twentieth century...this book is important contribution to contemporary moral philosophy, especially because of its wonderful mixture of Kantian, utilitarian, and contractarian insights.