Meta Ethics

Question 1

define meta ethics

Answer 1

the exploration into the language of morality

Question 2

define naturalism

Answer 2

the belief that values can be defined in terms of some natural property in the world

Question 3

define intuitionism

Answer 3

the belief that basic moral truths are indefinable but self evident

Question 4

define emotivism

Answer 4

the belief that moral truths just express approval or disapproval

Question 5

define absolutism

Answer 5

the view that morals are fixed

Question 6

give an example of an absolutist meta ethical theory

Answer 6

naturalism

Question 7

define relativism

Answer 7

the view that morals are not fixed

Question 8

give an example of a relativist ethical theory

Answer 8

emotivism

Question 9

who were the vienna circle?

Answer 9

philosophers (logical positivists) who thought moral truths cannot be verified as objectively true

Question 10

what is hume’s law?

Answer 10

you cannot go from an IS (fact) statement to an OUGHT (moral) statement

Question 11

what is the naturalistic fallacy?

Answer 11

moore’s argument that it is a mistake to define moral terms with reference to other properties

Question 12

who is the leading scholar of emotivism?

Answer 12

a.j. ayer

Question 13

why is emotivism also known as the boo hurrah theory?

Answer 13

because moral statements only represent the views of the speaker

Question 14

who is the leading scholar of intuitionism?

Answer 14

g.e. moore

Question 15

what does moore’s theory suggest about moral truths?

Answer 15

they are known intuitively rather than scientifically or logically

Question 16

how do naturalists approach morality?

Answer 16

morals are fixed absolutes

they can be recognised and observed the same way that we perceive other things in nature

Question 17

name a religious naturalist scholar

Answer 17

aquinas

Question 18

name two non-religious naturalist scholars

Answer 18

phillipa foot

f.h. bradley

Question 19

are ethical naturalists absolutist or relativists?

Answer 19

absolutists

Question 20

how does f.h. bradley distinguish between good and bad?

Answer 20

good- doing their duty in a particular institution

bad- failing to do their duty

Question 21

what is concrete and objective for bradley?

Answer 21

our duty

Question 22

how is bradley’s concept natural?

Answer 22

observable and empirical

Question 23

what kind of naturalist is aquinas?

Answer 23

theological naturalist

thought goodness comes from the will of god

Question 24

how did aquinas suggest we access the facts of morality?

Answer 24

reason and observation

Question 25

what would the empiricist criticism of naturalism be?

Answer 25

right and wrong cannot be observed with the senses

Question 26

how did hume criticise naturalism?

Answer 26

with hume’s law

Question 27

what kind of theory is intuitionism?

Answer 27

absolutist and strong realist

Question 28

when was the advent of intuitionism?

Answer 28

the early 20th century

Question 29

give an example of moore’s naturalistic fallacy

Answer 29

good is like yellow, it cannot be defined but we know it when we see it

Question 30

what were moral truths for moore?

Answer 30

self evident

Question 31

what does it mean that a moral truth is self evident?

Answer 31

you don’t have to witness something to know it is wrong

Question 32

how did w.d. ross develop intuitionism?

Answer 32

introduced the idea of the prima facie duties

Question 33

how many prima facie duties were there?

Answer 33

7

Question 34

what are the 7 prima facie duties?

Answer 34

promise keeping
repairing harm done
gratitude
justice
beneficence
self improvement
non- maleficence