Meta Ethics AO2

Question 1

F.H Bradley (N)

Answer 1

-we can observe our universal and concrete duty through observation of society and our place within it

Question 2

Foot (N)

Answer 2

-moral evil is ‘a kind of natural defect.’ A moral person has qualities which, for them are the reasons they carry out certain actions

Question 3

Aquinas (N)

Answer 3

-we can perceive morals from the purpose of life that we see in the world

Question 4

Normative theories supporting Naturalism

Answer 4

U:act that causes most pleasure/hapiness is right
K:act that fulfils one’s duty is right
SE: the act that fulfils agape is right

Question 5

Hume critique

Answer 5

“You cannot make an ought from an is”

• Many natural ethicists look at what makes us happy and therefore claim that we ‘ought’ to do this
• Rightness cannot be deduced from experience or observation there are no metaphysical truths or supernatural properties, there is no objective meaning

Question 6

G.E Moore (I)

Answer 6

-‘good’ cannot be defined just as yellow cannot be defined, we simply know when we see yellow and simply know when we see good.

Question 7

Nietzsche criticisms

Answer 7

You can be ‘intuition blind’

Question 8

Pritchard (I)

Answer 8

• we have a duty to work out our moral duty
• reason collects the facts and intuition determines which course to follow.
• when people can’t agree what our moral duty is through intuitionism, one person’s intuitionism simply isn’t as developed as the other person’s.

Question 9

Ross (I)

Answer 9

• Seven foundational moral things:
• promise-keeping
• reparation for harm done
• gratitude
• justice
• beneficence
• self-improvement
• non-maleficence

-use reason to balance such duties

Question 10

Aj Ayer (E)

Answer 10

• when we use ethical language, we are not judging morality but simply expressing an emotion
• meaningful statements must be verifiable

Question 11

C.L Stevenson (E)

Answer 11

• moral statements based on deeply held beliefs

- morality based on fundamental social, political or religious beliefs

Question 12

Confucius

Answer 12

“the more man mediates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large” -> if we see something makes something happy we ought to do it

Question 13

Vardy

Answer 13

emotivism is hot air

Question 14

john locke

Answer 14

blank slate

Question 15

Mel Thompson

Answer 15

“you cannot reduce morality to a set of cheers and boos”

Question 16

MacIntrye

Answer 16

argues emotivism places child carers and paedophiles as equals