Natuarlism Flashcards
Scientific knowledge
Naturalism arose with dominance of scientific worldview and its emphasis on empiricism.
It is a view that links morality with scientific knowledge.
Naturalism assumes that ethical terms are derived in the same way as the terms used to define scientific knowledge.
Moral observation
Argues that morals can be based on observation of the world just as in science- a posterior (through the five senses).
Therefore, all ethical statements can be translated into non-ethical ones, I.e into verifiable factual statements.
Examples of justification claims that moral statements are propositions by starting with non moral statements premises and deriving ethic conclusions
E.g displacement of people in the mayanmar conflicts to seeing the stamens that the army is evil as a fact
Sense perception
Our sense perception and our logic are the tools that a person uses to discover the truth
Moral truths are facts
Compares to a chemical properties, I can conclude that something is wrong from observation and analysis.
When I see a murder of an innocent person, what I see isn’t the facts of how the person is killed, who the killer is what actually happens. Perceive that is is wrong.
Wrongfulness of murder is a fact of the universe as the plunging a knife into a heart can stop it, observation of wrong is a moral fact of the universe.
Objective moral laws that exists independently of humans
Verification/falsification of moral statements
This is linked to the observation of the natural features of moral actions.
When I say stealing is wrong- stealing causes harm to people therefore I know the statement is correct.
Can be verified.
‘Verified moral statement are objective truths and universal’
Three categories of naturalism (aquinas)
Theological naturalism - goodness is linked to the will of god as seen in nature
Three categories of naturalism (perry and mill)
Hedonistic naturalist- goodness is a fact of pleasure or happiness. Perry suggested that good means being objective of favourable interest. For Perry and mill x is good is the same as x is an object of desire.
Three categories of naturalism (Aristotle)
Teleological naturalism- Aristotle sees the goodness linked to the proper goal of humankind, eudaimonia.
This is based on facts shared human nature.knows
Naturalist conclusion using non-ethical elements
Hedonists- pleasure is the non ethical elements
Theological- gods will is the non-ethical elements
Virtues - what causes human flourishing is the non ethical (health, education)
Ethical statements of disapproval or approval
All ethical statements are statement approving or disapproving of something.
Statement like ‘mother teresa was good’- does this say that I and majority of people approve of mother teresa?
Naturalist can verified or falsify this statement by examining whether mother teresa produced measurable benefits in terms of human happiness, welfare or will of god
The statement can be verified using same criteria as scientific statements they become objective and universal truths.
F.H Bradley sows
We have found ourselves,when we have found our station and its duties our functions as an organ of social organism
Who was Bradley influenced by
Georg Hegel
F.H Bradley book
Presented in book ethical studies
F.H Bradley
Believed our moral perspective was determined by observing our position in society.
He rejected hedonism because it does not help us reach a level of understanding.
He rejected Kant idea of duty for the sake of duty because it doesn’t guide us or give us satisfaction. He attempted to bring together both utilitarianism and kantian ethics despite their individual inadequacies, on order to find a better basis for morality.
F.H Bradley best approach
Decided that the best approach was to pursue self-realisation within the community, he held the view that our place and role with the community provide a satisfying life. We have to observe our families and wider community and asporto their values, this puts us firmly in the concrete universe and offers us the best satisfaction, he wrote this in his essay my station and its duties.
Bradley naturalism
In order to be a good person we have to know our station and fulfil the duties of that station. The good of society is about hard work and obedience, once you have found your station you have a duty to perform its function.
We know objectively and test empirically the proposition that honesty is good as this means honesty helps realise my potential and my place in society.- cognitive view.
Doing wrong is not a case of breaking rules rather it is going against role I’m society.
Bradley sowas
If a man is to know what is right he should have imbibed the spirit oh his community, and its general and special beliefs as to right and wrong”
Naturalism challenges humes law
‘A treatise of human nature’
Argued that what is the case and what ought to be the case are quite different, he disputes that we can ever know what morally ought to be the case from what is the case
Hume empiricist
Hume is an empiricist, means he values evidence and experience.
However he criticises based on the fact philosophers argue that non- moral facts and come to moral conclusions, without showing their reasonings or evidence.
Humes non moral facts
Non moral facts lead to non moral oughts work fine. Arsenic is poisoned so we ought not to consume it
