meta ethics

Question 1

What’s the Eurythphro Dilemma?

Answer 1

Is smth good bc God commands it? OR
Does God command it bc it’s good?

Question 2

Which theory believes smth is good bc God commands it?

Answer 2

Divine command theory - morality dependant on God

Question 3

Who were divine command theorists?

Answer 3

John Calvin + Karl Barth

Question 4

What does Divine command theory believe?

Answer 4

God has been nice enough to command us w scriptures + teachings
Reaffirms Gods love, power etc

Question 5

What’s an issue w DCT?

Answer 5

It’s meant to be timeless but what about biblical references to homophobia, women, slavery etc

Question 6

What would God commanding smth bc its good imply?

Answer 6

God merely recognises morality
Limits his omnipotence
Goes against scripture

Question 7

What did John Calvin believe?

Answer 7

The will of God is the supreme rule of righteousness; everything he wills must be righteous

Question 8

What does Karl Barth believe?

Answer 8

Christians have scripture + Gods commands to make moral decisions

Question 9

What are strengths of DCT?

Answer 9

• Moral maxims are universally; apply at all time
• Offers a means of proof concerning what’s right + wrong
• Offers sense of justice; God sees everything
• Offers a motive
• Reaffirms God’s attributes

Question 10

What are weaknesses of DCT?

Answer 10

• Existence of God isn’t certain
• What is God’s will
• How do we interpret the holy book?
• What about the other horn of the Eurythpro Dilemma

Question 11

Which theories are ethical naturalism?

Answer 11

Utilitarianism, situation ethics, virtue ethics + natural moral law

Question 12

Which theories are ethical non-naturalism?

Answer 12

Intuitionism + divine command theory

Question 13

What is ethical naturalism?

Answer 13

Moral values can be described in terms of natural properties; objective part of the universe

Question 14

Why are ethical naturalist theories naturalist?

Answer 14

They exist + can be described, so its possible to discover + understand them

Question 15

What are 2 ethical naturalist theories? Who are the scholars?

Answer 15

Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarianism
Jon Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism

Question 16

What is Bentham’s utilitarianism focused w?

Answer 16

Observation that human lives focus on maximising pleasure + minimising pain

Question 17

What does Bentham say human action should be aimed at?

Answer 17

Greatest good for the greatest number

Question 18

What did Bentham devise to help calculate the max. happiness?

Answer 18

The hedonic calculus

Question 19

What are the 7 criteria in the hedonic calculus?

Answer 19

Intensity, duration, certainty, proximity, productiveness, purity + extent

Question 20

What did the hedonic calculus mean for Bentham?

Answer 20

Bentham thought pain could be measured

Question 21

What is Bentham’s utilitarianism known as? Why?

Answer 21

Act utilitarianism
Focus on actions, not moral rules

Question 22

What is the diff between Bentham + Mill?

Answer 22

Mill didn’t believe all pleasures are equal + can be measured

Question 23

What did Mill believe?

Answer 23

Quality of life over pleasure
Higher + lower pleasures

Question 24

How did Mill see moral rules?

Answer 24

Moral rules had been developed bc they’re seen to result in the greatest benefits for society

Question 25

What is a criticism of naturalism? Who said this?

Answer 25

It commits the naturalistic fallacy
G.E. Moore

Question 26

What did Moore say?

Answer 26

You can’t derive ought from is
Can’t move from facts to values
Can’t move from knowledge to ethics

Question 27

What did Moore say you can’t do?

Answer 27

You can’t make the leap from a factual claim to an ethical claim from looking at facts around us

Question 28

What example can we use of the naturalistic fallacy?

Answer 28

Meat eaters say our teeth are designed for eating meat so we OUGHT to;
Moore may say we OUGHT to, doesn’t mean we SHOULD

Question 29

What are 2 strengths of ethical naturalism?

Answer 29

• Factual + empirical nature of propositions
• Objective nature of right/wrong enables us to assess our actions

Question 30

Is intuitionism naturalist or non-naturalist?

Answer 30

Non-naturalist

Question 31

What is intuitionism?

Answer 31

Standalone, self evident beliefs
Morality is objective

Question 32

Who is the scholar for intuitionism?

Answer 32

G.E. Moore

Question 33

What does intuitionism believe about morality?

Answer 33

Moral truths are self evident (gut instinct)

Question 34

What example can we use for intuitionism?

Answer 34

We instinctively know good, like how we instinctively know yellow
We rec. yellow but can’t define yellow
We know what’s good but can’t define it

Question 35

What is the quote from Moore about good?

Answer 35

“Good is good + that is the end of the matter”

Question 36

Which scholar goes w prima facie duties?

Answer 36

W.D. Ross

Question 37

What did W.D. Ross accept?

Answer 37

In some cases, there might be conflicting duties where it’s not always obv. which takes priorities

Question 38

What are Ross’ 6 prima facie duties?

Answer 38

• Keeping promises
• Pay back harm done to others
• Not injure others
• Return favours
• Not harming innocent ppl
• Look after parents

Question 39

What’s an example of a situation where duties might conflict?

Answer 39

Do you lie to the gunman to protect intended innocent victim?

Question 40

What are prima facie duties?

Answer 40

Conditional, not absolute + may change depending on situation

Question 41

What’s an example of the conditionality of prima facie duties?

Answer 41

A 5 yr old may lie bc their intuition isn’t fully developed

Question 42

What are 3 strengths of intuitionism?

Answer 42

• Objective nature of morality helps us assess actions + give guidelines
• Overcomes prob of disagreement w eth. nat. as to what’s right + wrong
• Universal experience of moral intuition

Question 43

What are 3 weaknesses of intuitionism?

Answer 43

• Morality cons. of sub. statements of approval
• Where does intuition come from?