7) Meta-ethical theories Flashcards
absolutism?
Meta-ethics
Idea that morals are fixed
Relativism?
Meta-ethics
the idea that moral truths are not fixed and depend on the situation
normative ethical theories?
Meta-ethics
ethical approaches that tell you what to do and what not to do
for example: utilitarianims, natural law, situation ethics and kantian ethics
What is meta-ethics?
Meta-ethics
meta-ethics questions the meaning of words, (right and wrong, good and bad)
What is a non-ethical statement?
Meta-ethics
Fact
what is an ethical statement?
Meta-ethics
statements which include good or bad
What are ethical naturalists?
Meta-ethics
- They are absolutists that hold that moral evil and goodness are absolute facts of the natural world and that they are fixed
- that ethical and non-ethical statements are the same thing
- ethical statements are true such that there is enough evidence to prove it
What did F.H Bradley argue?
F.H Bradley
That morals are observable as part of the concrete world.
Example of ethical and non ethical statements being the same?
F.H Bradley
Genocide is the mass killing of individuals
Genocide is bad
What does David Hume argue?
David Hume
He separates facts from morals/values
What is David Hume’s critique on ethical naturalism?
David Hume
David Hume critiqued ethical naturalism by arguing that moral statements (what “ought” to be) cannot be logically derived from factual statements (what “is”). This is known as the is-ought problem, highlighting a gap between facts and moral values.
How does Phillipa Foot defend ethical naturalism?
Phillipa Foot
Foot argues that because virtues can be observed and backed by evidence, they become moral facts.
* supported ethical naturalism by illustrating how moral rules are natural and absolute facts
What was Philippa Foot’s example?
Phillipa Foot
That an anthropologist studying native malayan people.
He is told not to take pictures of them. He catches one that is asleep but chooses not to take the picture because he wants to uphold is promise. This shows that there is observable behaviour that supports the idea that moral rules are based on natural facts. Moral rules are ingrained in human nature
What does Phillipa foot say about virtues?
Phillipa Foot
What did G.E Moore say?
G.E Moore
moral truths are indefinable but self-evident through intuition. He said it is as simple as seeing the colour yellow - you know it when you see it
Intuitionism?
Phillipa Foot
The idea that moral truths are indefinable and self-evident
Naturalistic fallacy?
Phillipa Foot
The idea that it is a mistake to define moral terms with reference to other non-moral or natural terms
What is Moore’s criticism of utilitarianism?
Phillipa Foot
He is against utilitarianism’s attempt at defining goodness as pleasures. The hedonic calculus is also unnecessary as it is deliberating whether something is good or not, instead it is something that is self-evident
What quote summarises what Moore has to say?
Phillipa Foot
” If i am asked ‘what is good?’ my answer is that good is good, and that is the end of the matter”
H.A. Prichard added onto Moore’s work, what did he say?
Prichard
- reason collects fact and intution and determines which course of action to follow
- ” general thinking (reasoning)”- used to assess the facts of a situation
- “moral thinking” - your immediate intuition about what you should do
- For example, a person collapses in the street, reasonig tells they are in trouble (general thinking) and moral thinking tells you to help them (immediate intuition)
What did H.A. Prichard recognise that people have?
Prichard
Different intuitions about what is right and wrong
W.D Ross (prichard’s student) , what did he say?
Ross
- what is right or wrong is unique depending on what is morally suitable for the person and their situation
- base judgements using intuition
- However, there are certain actions that are always right, fidelity, reparation, gratitude, justice, benificence. self-improvement, non-maleficent
Strengths of ethical naturalism?
Ethical Naturalism
- based on facts and evidence
- Universal morality
- clear guidance for decisiom-making
- supports moral progress
- moral responsibility
Weaknesses of ethical naturalism?
Ethical Naturalism
- hard to prove moral facts
- conflict with personal beliefs
- doesn’t explain why moral facts exist
- too simple
Strengths of intuitionism?
Intuitionism
- clear moral intuition
- Avoids over-complexit
- objective moral truths
- adaptablity
Weaknesses of intuitionism?
Intuitionism
- different intuitions
- hard to prove
- no clear guidelines
- cultural differences
What did A.J Ayer say about emotivism?
A.J Ayer
Ethical non naturalism because it rejects the view that morals tell you anything about the external world
Emotivism is the ethical view that moral statements express emotional attitudes rather than objective truths.
What was the whistle-blower example?
A.J Ayer
That if someone says they are a whistleblower it means they stand up for whats right but it doesn’t say anything about the world as a fact
What is the Hurrah/Boo theory?
A.J Ayer
When you say something is good or bad , it doesn’t give any real description to anything.
What does Stevenson say about emotivism?
C.L Stevenson
That when you use words and bad , you are convincing the person(s) you are speaking with
Good and bad are influential words
It is no fact but just a moral statement
What is the quote for Ayer?
A.J Ayer
“And the man who is contradicting me is merely expressing his moral statement”
Strengths of Emotivism?
Emotivism
- it effectively resolves the argument as to why moral disputes can never be resolved
- part of human is to express emotions especially in moral situations
- Culuturally aware- arranged marriage, for example, could be good or bad depending on the stance of different cultures
- Emotivism’s subjective nature allows all opinions to be equally valid
Weaknesses of Emotivism?
Emotivism
- If emotivism is accepted then there’s no compelling reason for people to act morally
- Mel Thompson said “ you cannot reduce morality to a set of cheers and boos”
- Ethics based on attitudes, upbringing and feeling-lead emotivism to being simply subjectivism
