Meta Ethics - Ethical Non-naturalism Flashcards
Ethical non naturalism -
ethical facts cannot be revealed through natural properties such as pleasure or pain (utilitarianism) but independently of the world - divine command theory, intuitionism
What is ethical non naturalism derived from
Cognitivism > moral realism> ethical non naturalism
Cognitivism = ethical statements do convey meaning and are true or false statements
Moral realism = these true or false statements really do exist
Ethical non naturalism = ethical facts are not rooted in natural facts but independent of the world, divine command theory, intuitionism
Give 3 examples of ethical theories that are ethically non natural
- Divine command theory - super natural has the answers. These ethical facts are beyond the world.
- Moral sense theorists - goodness is discovered thorugh a faculty of moral sense, analogous to physical sensation
- Ethical intuitionism - goodness is known a priori though a faculty of moral intuition
Moore (Principa Ethica) : Intuitionism
What is Ethical Intuitionism
That goodness/ethical facts are known a priori through moral intuition.
It is a simple/unempirical/unanalysable thing. The intuitions must be self evident
- Intuitions are foundational beliefs that are not supported by other beliefs.
What does W.D.Ross believe about intuitionism (no quote)
argues that we possess a number of self evident duties that are known though moral intuitions.
keep promises
Not injure others
Look after parents
Not harm innocent people
He further argues that where these duties conflict we must use moral intuition actively in order to settle those conflicts, feeling the solution.
He says that moral propositions like mathematical facts are simple/rational and guided by moral intuition. Therefore the same level of confidence in mathematical truths should be evidence in moral acts.
W.D.Ross quote about moral intuitionism
“We are dealing with propositions that cannot be proved, but that just as certainly need no proof” ( Ross: “the Right and Good”)
Three strengths of moral intuitionism (ethical non naturalism)
- Avoids the naturalistic fallacy - the open question argument
- Ethical non naturalism is in harmony with moral intuitionism
- Also harmonises and aligns with religious believers
How is non naturalism avoiding the Open Question argument (Principa Ethica - Moore) a strength of ethical non naturalism
Ethical non naturalism avoids the naturalistic fallacy (the open question argument)
This argument states that it is incoherent to identify goodness with natural properties. Therefore committing the naturalistic fallacy
Non naturalism avoids this fallacy by satin that it is an unanalysable simple proportion
How is non naturalism being in harmony with intuitionism a strength of ethical non naturalism
They arent subordinated to an objective natural fact. Non naturalism allows our intuitions to exist and makes them primary in ethical decision making. This is good because we cannot ignore our intuitions and they are evident in the world - W.D.Ross, self evident duties that exist are known through moral intuitions (keep promises, dont kill innocent)
How is ethical non naturalism harmonising with religious believers a strength of ethical non naturalism
According to most religious world views moral values have foundation in divine beings (divine command theory). This is in contrast to ethical naturalism that holds that ethical properties must be reducible to natural properties.
Three weaknesses of ethical non naturalism
- Argument from queerness
- Forces to rely on dubious moral intuitions
- Makes ethical discussions difficult
how is the argument from queerness a weakness of ethical non naturalism
John Mackie: argument from queerness.
- Non naturalism is: realist (so it believes ethical facts DO EXIST), but, these are intangible and unidentifiable by natural facts.
Mackie disagrees with this and rejects it because then we dont know what is an ethical fact.
Mackie says this is ‘queer’ because we dont really know what we are talking about if things cannot be seen anywhere or identified within concepts we understand or scientifically comprehended like naturalism. Therefore naturalism is better cause it can provide measurable guidelines to follow.
Why is relying on dubious moral intuitions a weakness of ethical non naturalism
This means they are not discoverable thorugh empirical methods, which creates doubts in the validity of of the ethical knowledge. It can be subjective and unknowingly incorrect or wrong.
If moral intuitions are the primary source for ethical knowledge, then we know they are unreliable and inconsistent. Fore example, slavery supported, nazism etc.
Why is non naturalism making ethical discussion difficult a weakness of ethical non naturalism
- It makes ethical discussion difficult.
If ethical facts were simple analysable through empirical methods tehn they would be much more easily discovered and discussed.
