Not everyone who has written about or studied ethics is dead. Here are a few examples of the continuing work of humanity to understand right and wrong, good and evil.
People of the Lie
Unlike just about anything else written, Dr. Scott Peck's book People of the Lie is a religious and psychological study of human evil. Peck deals with the nature of evil itself, what causes or brings it about, and possibilities for curing evil.
Peck, M. Scott, M.D. People of the Lie. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1983. ISBN 0-671-45492-7.
Contact
Much more than an average science fiction movie, Contact focuses on the possible religious, political, social, and cultural impacts of the discovery of extraterrestrial life. Questions arise over how and whether contact should be made. A conflict between science and faith pervade the story, and bring about an ironic conclusion. If you haven't already seen it and it's still in the theaters, you should definitely take the time.