In this chapter, we defined ethics as the study of morality. In elaborating on that

definition, we drew some useful distinctions between morality (as a system of rules

and principles) and ethics (as the study of that system). Acknowledging the distinction

between normative and descriptive studies of morality, we saw that normative investigations

into morality can be conducted from the perspectives of religion and law as well as

from philosophy. We also noted that only philosophical ethics offers a method to analyze

moral issues based exclusively on the application of ethical theory and logical argumentation.

We briefly identified and analyzed some common discussion stoppers that are

frequently invoked in ways that prematurely close down, even if unintentionally, the

possibility of constructive ethical dialogue.

We also examined the roles that ethical theories ideally play in guiding us in our

moral deliberations about cyberethics issues. We saw that consequence-based, dutybased,

contract-based, and character-based theories each had certain strengths and

weaknesses. Finally, we examined James Moors proposal for a framework that

incorporates aspects of consequence-based and duty-based theories (and to some

extent character-based theories) into one unified, comprehensive theory, called just

consequentialism. We summarized Moors framework into a two-step process that we

will use, wherever possible, in our analysis of the cyberethics issues examined in this

textbook.

Please write synopsis of this chapter