1.2 Meta Ethics - Intuitionism

Question 1

Intuitionism is the view that…

Answer 1

Same as naturalism but it believes —> Ethical language is NOT definable using other language

Question 2

G.E. Moore (Principa Ethica)

Answer 2

❗Argued that we knoew what is ‘good’ is even though we can’t define it. He explains this in his book ‘principia Ethica’

❗E.G Yellow 🍋 “We know what ‘yellow’ is and can recognise it whenever it is seen, but we cannot actually define yellow. In the same way, we know what good is but we cannot actually define it.”

QUOTE - ‘Good means Good self-evident’
He argues that certain words in the dicitionary are non-definable e.g. ‘not’ - a simple word; cannot be defined further defined.
“ A simpled idea; cannot be broken down into simpler ideas”

Question 3

Summarise G.E MOORE is 3 points simple

Answer 3

• Believed that we should do the thing that causes most good to exist
• Moral truths are indefinable but self evident through intuition
• Moore Particularly concerned with rejecting utilitarianism, which argued that goodness can be defined, quantified and qualified

Question 4

W.D Ross supported intuitionsim he argued…

Answer 4

(deontologist) – claimed prima facie (first sight) duties come first. When duties conflict, we must follow the one we think is right in the situation

• What is right is always, unique, depending on what is ‘morally suitable’ for the facts bout a situation = base our judgement about what’s right and wrong on Intuitions
• You never know the facts bout the situation = base our judgement about what’s right and wrong intuitions

Question 5

H.A PRICHARD also supported Intuitionism..

Answer 5

• Reason collects the facts and intuition determines which courses of action to followDistinguished between
  🅰️ ‘General thinking (reasoning)’ Used to assess the facts of situations.
  🅱️’Moral Thinking’ Based on an immediate intuition about the right thing to do

🆎He recognises that ppl have different intuitions about what is right

When people disagree about morality, someone’s moral thinking hasn’t been fully developed.
—> However, does not tell us how we can develop out moral thinking or how to resolve conflict of duties.

Question 6

OBJECTIONS OF G.E MOORE

Answer 6

–> Peoples’ intuitions differ. Nietzsche, using Moore’s ‘yellow’ analogy, argued that one person may see good as one thing whereas one may see good as another: “ethical colourblindness”. E.g. different intuitions on abortion

—> SHUKLA SARKER Colour-blind individuals might not be able to see yellow or see it different the ‘ethically colour blind’ individual would not have intuitive’ knowledge or moral truths or have ‘different’ moral ideas

–

Question 7

AO2 WEAKNESSES

Answer 7

⚠️ Moore doesn’t explain nor prove how we know through intuition alone and not through senses
⚠️ How can we be sure our intuitions are correct?
⚠️wat happens if they conflict e.g please my parents or be authentic
⚠️ J.L. MACKIE- argues that morality is not just bout wat person belives is intuitively right but it is doing something bout it.
⚠️ MOORE theory provides no way of helping individuals like Osama to gain ‘real’ moral awerness as there is no other way of discovering morality other than intuition they lack.

Question 8

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