Meta-ethics

Question 1

plato on good

Answer 1

• Form of Good – the term good has many meanings
• Good is a singular spiritual being, it has a greater reality than the objects of our perception
• Good is a natural fact, but one that is outside of our everyday experience

Question 2

ethical naturalism summary

Answer 2

• Moral judgements are true or false (moral realist view), and such judgements are reducible entirely to the concepts of natural science
• Morals are objectively true, absolute facts of the natural world

Question 3

ethical naturalism - Bradley

Answer 3

must look at wider society to find good

Question 4

ethical naturalism - aquinas

Answer 4

o Aquinas links goodness to divine will and humans’ telos. These lead to a following of the 5 PPs, which are good

Question 5

ethical naturalism - foot summary

Answer 5

o Moral good can be observed in the form of virtues pursued by individuals e.g. we can tell if someone is not trustworthy, there must be some absolute morality in order to recognise this
o Virtues and following of these virtues can be observed and therefore good can be observed

Question 6

general postives of ethical naturalism

Answer 6

• Believing moral claims are nothing but opinions means there are never any objective values or truths = anarchy. - - - Naturalism provides a basis for human rights.

Question 7

general negatives of ethical naturalism

Answer 7

• Nature can be misunderstood, could potentially justify evil things e.g. evidential problem of evil + Naturalistic fallacy
• If nature is fallen (Augustine), how can you advocate morality based on a nature that is inclined towards sin?

Question 8

ethical naturalism criticism - Moore

Answer 8

• G. E. Moore
  o Puts forward naturalistic fallacy due to his open question technique

Question 9

intuitionism - Moore

Answer 9

‘Good is Good, and that is the end of the matter.’

o Agrees with Hume’s fact-value gap, ( cannot move from a descriptive statement like to a moral statement)

Question 10

general positives of intuitionism

Answer 10

~~~
- Situational

• Allows for more control
• Morally realist, offers a sense of moral duty/motive.

Question 11

general negatives of intuitionism

Answer 11

• Relative, could lead to bad actions if conflicting principles
• Not practical in terms of deciding moral rules
• Intuitionism is based solely on introspection, subjective

Question 12

intuitionism - criticisms of Moore

Answer 12

o Moore claims we are able to recognise non-natural properties e.g. good but how are to know it is not a creation of our minds?

o If we only know good by a process of intuition, how can we properly discuss our views and decide whose intuition is superior? Not helpful in moral disagreement

Question 13

what are the 2 non cognitive ethical strands

Answer 13

emotivism - ♣ Moral judgements are neither true or false, merely expressions of feelings of those who utter them (AYER)

prescriptivism - ♣ Ethical language is individuals’ attempt to get others to conform with their moral viewpoints, persuasive
(STEVENSON)

Question 14

emotivism - ayer

Answer 14

• Moral judgements are neither true or false, merely expressions of feelings
• Rejected intuitionism as intuitions are unverifiable and meaningless

Question 15

emotivism - boo hurrah

Answer 15

• Moral judgements are internal – based on feeling
• When you say something is good/bad you express your reaction to it: either boo (dislike) or hurrah (like and approval)
• in saying that an action is right or wrong, I am not making any factual statement, I am expressing moral sentiments. (Ayer)

Question 16

negatives of ethical non-cog (emotivism/presc) - general

Answer 16

• Feelings and morality are not always the same. You could feel a certain way but think it is wrong and so don’t do it
• reduces morality too far, need some concept of good/bad in society
• Emotivism fails to recognise cultural relativity when it comes to morality e.g. killing justified in some countries but deemed abhorrent in UK