Meta ethics- positives and negatives

Question 1

Give five weaknesses of naturalism

Answer 1

1. Does not take the fact value distinction seriously and implies an ought can be derived from an is. 2. Mackie- moral values cannot be objective as they vary from culture to culture. 3. Moore- reductive and commits the naturalistic fallacy. 4. Moore- open question argument, if the good was pleasure the answer to ‘is the good pleasure’ would be obvious. 5. Pleasure and happiness are not moral terms and it is a mistake for morality to be reduced to them.

Question 2

Give five strengths of naturalism

Answer 2

In line with how we understand morality, when we feel pain we naturally think that that thing is bad. 2. Accounts for moral disagreements, if we think of the consequences of our actions in terms of pleasure/pain we can work out what is morally right. 3. Uses evidence from the sense experience that we call all find. 4. Simple concept, good does not have to be defined. 5. Presents a solid guideline that can be followed in any situation.

Question 3

Give four weakness of intuitionism

Answer 3

1. Moore does not explain what intuitions are and where they come from. 2. Why do we have moral disagreements if we all have intuition, Moore’s response that some people have better intuitions then others is unsatisfactory. 3. What keeps them in check, how do we know they’re correct and how do we choose between them? 4. Institutions appear to come from social conditioning and differences between cultures- not reliable guides for objective moral statements!

Question 4

Give five strengths of intuitionism

Answer 4

1. Bridges the gap between fact and value. 2. Avoids reductionism of naturalism whilst keeping moral terms meaningful. 3. Allows for moral disagreements, moral progress and moral standards. 4. May be associated with conscience as a moral guide. 5. Allows for moral duties and obligations, thus satisfying moral absolutists.

Question 5

Give six weaknesses of prescriptivism

Answer 5

1. Does not account for rational but bad decisions- killing the annoying fly. 2. Does not account for a clash of moral principles, what if you have agreed to uphold the absolute value of life, but a woman will die if she does not have an abortion? 3. Universalizability is fallacious, no two situations are ever the same. 4. When we make moral judgments, we don’t always try to influence others. 5. Whose prescriptions should we follow, why and are some prescriptions better then others? 6. Moral claims override non moral claims but this distinction is difficult to make when we can’t differentiate between moral and non moral uses of the term should.

Question 6

Give five strengths of prescriptivism

Answer 6

1. Good is universal, we all know it and all have the ability to do good as a result. 2. Gives meaning to moral terms and is in line with how we see morality. 3. Presents equality- everyone should adhere and conform to the same rules. 4. Moral beliefs must be in harmony with other’s beliefs, contributing to community. 5. You cannot be a hypocrite, you are saying that you do not think others should do something and that you should not do it too.

Question 7

Give five weaknesses of emotivism

Answer 7

1. Brand Blanshard- if right/wrong is just the expression of emotions when witnessing an event then there is nothing wrong with a rabbit dying painfully in a trap if no one sees it. 2. Relies heavily on the fact value distinction. 3. Giving to charity is good becomes the same as chocolate is good. 4. Does not account for the specificity of moral language, morals terms are not like other terms. 5. We can’t detach morality from the facts of the matter and even if we could, this would not make it meaningless.

Question 8

Give five more weaknesses of emotivism

Answer 8

1. When we make moral claims we don’t always try to influence others. 2. Based on the verification principle, which fails its own test. 3. Does not allow for the setting of moral standards or a cohesive society. 4. Does not allow for moral progress. 5. Rules out much of what it means to be human as meaningless.

Question 9

Give four strengths of emotivism

Answer 9

1. Accounts for moral disagreements as morality is just a statement of emotion. 2. Everyone’s opinion is equally valid and useful. 3. Makes a distinction between facts and values, necessary for distinguishing between what we experience and what we hold as ethical positions. 4. Scientific approach to language, has to be empirically verified and prevents the abstract use of words.

Question 10

Which is the best?

Answer 10

Up to you!