Aristotle emphasized the notion of "virtue" as being essential to good living, with some philosophers arguing that certain types of behaviors are good whether or not they result in beneficial consequences. In other words, certain ways of being are simply good ways to live, to be. In contrast, other philosophers say that behaviors are desirable because they lead to good results. Philosopher Lynne McFall would endorse the first definition, noting that integrity is important for all of us as individuals. She suggests that integrity is the result of a full commitment to personal values and a commitment to other values that are important. These commitments suggest anything but the impartiality that many people assume are part of moral choices; indeed, certain choices involve taking unpopular or other complex stands, depending on the circumstances.

Simply put, ethics as a sub-discipline of philosophy concerns itself with what we should do and how we should behave—what we ought to do, what the right thing is that we should do. Philosophical and popular writing present us with a wide range of definitions of morality—what it is, why it is important. Other philosophers, such as Friedrich Nietzsche, believe that morality is a deception, while John Stuart Mill believes that ethics has everything to do with the "common good," or as he puts it, "the greatest good of the greatest number." Immanuel Kant suggests that moral principles are part of "practical reason" and the idea of "good will." These sound bites, however, merely scratch the proverbial surface. You can profitably research the myriad points of view about ethics, but ultimately the choices about how to act, and why you act as you do, come down to your own understanding of what it means to be an ethical person in a complex and challenging world.

Challenging Perspectives allows you to explore the complexities of values and moral choices that we confront as we navigate our own lives and the views and lives of others. The classroom is often a site of spirited discussion and debate; clearly, the rules of fair discussion and classroom decorum apply. Think of the "I" in the organizing chapter questions as the starting point for careful examination of your own views of the world in the context of others'. These various texts and images invite you to investigate, think, discuss, and write productively to affirm, challenge, and account for the ways we read and respond to the world around us.