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Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics

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I found this book when I was browsing through a bookstore in Washington DC a few weeks ago. There were recommendations by Francis J. Beckwith and J.P. Moreland on the book; needless to say these are some of the most learned men in the Christian intellectual world. The book is about ethics (the process of determining right and wrong) and morality (the actual content of right and wrong). Scott B. Rae, in addition to being an academic ethicist (and a Christian committed to Scripture), serves on several California hospital ethics committees. This is apparent by the way he begins many of his chapters; he crafts a real-life scenario where making the moral decision requires some serious thought.

The theoretical part of the book is clear and important; knowing why people have specific moral views is as important as its resolution. I think quoting Professor Beckwith's comments on the book might be illustrative: 'In fact, there's not a better book anywhere that so clearly ties ethical theory and moral practice.'

The book starts with four background chapters: 'Christian Ethics,' 'Major Figures in the History of Ethics,' 'Ethical Systems and Ways of Moral Reasoning,' and, 'Making Ethical Decisions.' For a person new to the study of ethics and tired of media moral reasoning, these chapters were refreshing. In the, "Christian Ethics," chapter, in addition to examining Scripture, Rae makes the conclusion that Christians who use the Bible can still in good conscience use natural law (this is moral information from general revelation; that is the world and Creation, rather than special revelation, the Bible). He makes the point that general revelation morality (i.e. natural law) and special revelation morality (i.e. the Bible) are usually in agreement though the arbiter in rare cases of disagreement should be Scripture. The importance of natural law for the Christian is not to be underestimated. Granted that the Christian wants to be able to influence his/her surrounding culture for Christ, promoting justice, order etc., natural law means that a Christian can make a moral argument without quoting the Bible or compromising the Bible.

The sections on the history of ethics and ethical systems are helpful both to the person who wants to simply learn about ethics, those who want to understand the reasoning people use in the public forum and so on. About half of the book is dedicated to the big moral issues of our day: Abortion, Reproductive Technologies, Genetic Technologies and Human Cloning, Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, Capital Punishment, Sexual Ethics, The Morality of War and Legislating Morality.

The general approach that Rae takes is to use a scenario at the beginning of the chapter, offer arguments for and against, evaluate these arguments, look at Scripture, and then offer a conclusion. Also, each section has footnotes and a, 'Further Reading,' list.

One of Rae comments from the, 'Sexual Ethics,' chapter could serve as a reason for all Christians to carefully consider how to present their moral case in the public forum:

'Making the biblical case against homosexuality persuasive to a secular audience that has little regard for biblical authority is difficult, particularly in view of the aggressive gay rights movement and a growing societal tolerance for homosexuality. But that does not mean further attempts to make the Bible's teachings on homosexuality persuasive to the broader culture should not be undertaken.' (page 237) I think this book is a good starting place to help lay people understand ethics and how to carefully think through these issues and the process we go through in coming to moral conclusions.

Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics is written by Scott B. Rae. Dr Rae currently teaches at Talbot School of Theology as an associate professor of biblical studies and Christian ethics.

The book in review is a terrific introduction to the discipline of ethics. The author's purpose for writing the book serves to inform the reader in brevity of all the areas that make up ethics. Dr. Rae's thesis is essentially answered in the question, "Why be moral?" He contends that if the reader concerns him or herself with morality, this book will be of much interest. However, if morality is not a concern, then this book will probably be of little value.

Dr. Scott Rae does more than just write a book about ethical systems and views. He illuminates the reader to a whole new worldview, so to speak. If someone had an interest in learning more about ethics---the foundational theories and relevant applications---than this book is a terrific starting point. Scott Rae starts the book off by giving a basic, informative preface to why an individual should study ethics. In chapter two, the author goes through the Old and New Testaments and creates for the reader a foundational understanding of biblical/Christian ethics. During this chapter, the writer analyzes the systems of thought that fall under this umbrella of ethics (e.g. Divine Command Theory, Natural Law, et cetera). The next chapter highlights the major proponents of ethics. From pre-philosophy to the Greeks, the author writes on the pluses and minuses of each of the major figures in this area of study. Dr. Rae also emphasizes the role that Christian theologians and philosophers play on the topic of ethics and where the idea of Christian ethics came from. The writer takes the fourth chapter to write extensively on some of the primary ethical systems and their ways of moral interpretation. He introduces a plausible case study in the first few pages of the chapter. The author writes what each system of ethical thought discussed would think about that particular case study. Later on in the chapter, he goes into more detail about what each of the systems would say about certain ethical dilemmas, as well as giving the problems with each of the methods. The next chapter then gives three more ethical dilemmas: a medical, business, and parental rights and patient's best interest situation and has the reader follow an outline and come to his or her own conclusions about what he or she should do in making an ethical decision. Dr Rae even asks, "What would you do?"

Following those theoretical notions, the subsequent chapters each emphasize one of the major issues, respectively, in ethics today. The chapter addresses a brief history, significant findings, court cases, and what secular ethicists would say regarding each of those issues. However, the author makes the case for what a Christian should continue to do to fight for a world more like the one God intended his people to dwell in. The issues addressed in chapters six through thirteen are as follows: abortion, reproductive technologies, genetic technologies and human cloning, physician assisted suicide and euthanasia, capital punishment, sexual ethics, morality of war, and finally the issue of legislating morality. These are very pertinent topics, which are not only relevant to the world that is outside the church doors, but to the people inside the church itself. This book equips the reader who wants to study and understand the complexities that surround these issues.

Moral Choices seems to leave no stone unturned with regard to finding and inserting ethical problems into their rightful places. The author doesn't make the reader feel the need to be a scholar, but moreover, the necessity to make him or herself familiar with the situations and issues that arise in the world today. This makes the book a lot easier to read than some other volumes on the same subject. Another fantastic feature of the books is it's relevancy to the Christian life. This is a vital point for the believer because the Christian needs to be aware of such issues, and constantly has to study to be on the lookout for the new questions raised with consideration to the moral life.

The first half of the book focused on the history of ethics and some of the main schools of thought. While giving me a more detailed understanding of those views, it was the latter half of the work that challenged my beliefs more intently. Dr. Rae brought practicality forth and gave the audience real circumstances to think about. The author was trying to get the reader to think about what he or she might do in some intense ethical situations. This is where my thoughts were challenged the most. I had my own preconceived notions of the problems and solutions, but I was exhorted to rethink some of those thoughts and to see where the answers might actually lie.

After reading this book, one gains a better sense of understanding when thinking about the ethical questions that are raised today. Though succinctness is a limit in itself, the author has to be choosey about what he addresses. However, the thoroughness of what the book actually does discuss is astounding. Moral Choices helped me to make myself aware of the moral and immoral; ethical and unethical. Not only why something is one way or another, but to use sensible analysis and critique to find it. This book also serves as a guide to anyone in the church who would read it. Not only is it useful for the minister or professor, but to the layperson as well.

Dr. Rae writes this book with the student's perspective in mind. He does not write as if the reader already knows the information, nor does he write in such a way that makes the audience feel like he is not capable of explaining this information to a child or an intellectual. That's the beauty in itself because this is a thoughtful, scholarly work that competes with any other secular book on ethics. That is definitely a multifunctional strength of the book. Another strength is the way the writer presents the ethical circumstances in the latter half of the book. He informs the reader meticulously and yet, has the ability and room to write about eight of the most controversial topics on planet Earth today. One more highlight of the book is the author's gracious distinction to name key terms and define words used throughout each chapter. This assists the reader in fully understanding what the author is trying to say. With that being said, there is a weakness to this semi-tome too. While I emphatically praise the second part of the book, the first half is quite dull at times. Not because of its historicity, but because it is written in such a way that reads more like a textbook than a fresh look at Christian ethics (which is what it is). You can tell the author is more excited about the issues rather than the conjectural and theoretical notions. Again, this is a small flaw, but an imperfection nonetheless. This is the biggest and most noticeable flaw in the book. However, there are many more praise worthy statements one could make about the presentation of the book.

Finally, I ardently recommend this book to anyone who wishes to gain more knowledge on the subject of ethics. I'll even go so far as to say that any Christian who wants to take a stand for the moral life needs to read this book. Ethics is the ability and process of determining whether an action or thought is moral or not. Once examined, this book will inform the reader, Christian or not, how to do just that.

Rae notes in his introduction that "the moral life and moral decision making are the focal points of this book." He has done an admirable job in this regard. While the book is written from a Christian ethicist perspective as an introduction to ethics, his evaluations of different topics are mostly treated with well thought out and logically coherent explanations. He spends two entire chapters giving an honest look at alternative ethical systems including relativism, utilitarianism and ethical egoism. He also spends time looking at several of the significant players historically in ethics including Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Aquinas and Augustine. This edition is expanded and covers topics not included in the first edition.

My one and only major concern with Rae is his position that the removal of nutrition and hydration from a non-terminally ill person, which can be found at the top of page 204, is justifiable. He argues that in such a non-terminally ill person (the example here is someone in a perpetual vegetative state), the act of withdrawing or refusing to initiate nutrition or hydration "does not constitute starving someone to death" He further argues that it is the injury that has put them in this state of not being able to feed themselves orally. This argument does not logically hold. By removing or withholding nutrition and hydration from anyone, regardless of the presence of or absence of injury, they are being starved to death unless the injury is terminal and causes death first. In addition, based on Rae's rational anyone with an injury that prevents them from being able to feed themself would justifiably be able to have hydration and nutrition withheld or refused. Also, Rae's argument is in direct contradiction of his arguments against abortion in chapter 6 making his metaethics internally inconsistent.

It has been said that we have come as far as we have only because we stand on the shoulders of giants. One of the strengths of ethics when studied as part of a survey of Western civilization has been the discipline's emphasis on consulting the accumulated wisdom of the past. However, in doing so one must not fail to apply these principles to the situations arising in our own time.

`Talbot School of Theology Professor Scott Rae in "Moral Choices: An Introduction To Ethics" maintains this balance by not only analyzing the foundations of this field as set forth in Biblical and historical sources as well as more contemporary systems but also by examining a number of issues arising from advances in technology.

"Moral Choices" is an excellent resource for believers to investigate the complexities of this field of study since Rae does not overly advocate any one particular position per say but rather examines both sides by comparing where each either measures up to or falls short of either the outright teachings of Scripture or the traditional ethical norms derived from sacred revelation. The student will also come away with a better understanding of the legal or scientific developments giving rise to these disputes.

For example, some of the issues examined in "Moral Choices" include abortion, reproductive technology, human cloning, and physician assisted suicide.

In regards to abortion, Rae builds a Biblical position on the topic centering around the Fifth Commandment (Thou shalt not murder) by showing how this injunction applies to the fetus since the child in question retains a distinct personhood from conception onward until death. Rae also goes into the background of a number of court decisions establishing the legal framework for this procedure in the United States such as Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Danforth, and Webster v. Reproductive Health Services.

C.P. Snow lamented in "The Two Cultures And The Scientific Revolution" of the widening gulf between those educated in the humanities and those schooled in the hard sciences. Moral Choices does a commendable job of bridging the gap.

Often average citizens shy away from these complex issues for lack of understanding the science involved. However, by defining terms related to reproductive technologies and genetic engineering such as somatic cell gene therapy (the addition of a gene), somatic cell nuclear transfer (the taking of cells from an adult and placing them in an egg in order to grow a clone), and an overview of various infertility treatments such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection and intrafallopian transfer, "Moral Choices" won't qualify the reader to be a Doctor Frankenstien but will certainly give the concerned laymen a better idea of what exactly goes on in the lab late at night.

Like stage magicians, often scientific and philosophical elites prefer to dazzle the common man by keeping much of the process by which they arrive at their proclamations shrouded in secrecy. "Moral Choices" by Scott Rae not only applies fundamental ethical principles to the daunting challenges facing society today but also provides the steps helping one to arrive at an informed decision.

The steps are as follows: (1) Gather the facts. (2) Determine the ethical claims. (3) Determine what principles have bearing on the case. (4) List the alternatives. (5) Compare the alternatives with the principles. (6) Consider the consequences. (7) Make a decision.

Moral Choices: An Introduction To Ethics begins with the question "Why Be Moral?". From considering the ramifications of the issues examined in the text, the reader will conclude how can we afford not to?

by Frederick Meekins

I have never bought a book in worse condition than this one. The seller had the audacity to say the book was in "very good condition". I understand that when they said it "may" have highlighted marks to expect it, but I wish they would just be upfront if the book had them or not. Even worse, the spine of the book has CHEWING GUM on it. The cover of the book is peeling off at the bottom as well.

This was a good primer for understanding what all the fuss is about in Christian Ethics. Why do Christians oppose some things and what things are Christians in favor of. This book helps to delineate the situation in a way that is both understand and practical. Good read.

Thought the book was good, however would have like more emphasis on Chapter 9/10 and 6 and 8.

Thanks,

Steven

Although I have not completed the study of this book as I am in class studying this book and I am greatly enjoying this book. It provides understanding about some moral issues that I had a question about. This is an excellent book to give understanding about moral issues and ethics necessary for us to live a christian lifestyle.

This book is an easy read, not too academic. Usable for High School and beyond, would need adaptations if it were used with middle school.

The book was overall a very good read, simple and to the point. I enjoyed the style and the message. I would recommend this book to anyone teaching ethics. Since most of todays ethics teachers seemed somewhat confused.