Naturalism- (realist & cognitivist) Flashcards
What is naturalism?
Naturalism is the view that goodness is a natural property – i.e., a feature of the physical world.
How does Bentham define goodness?
Bentham claims goodness = pleasure.
What is the relationship between pleasure and goodness according to Bentham?
Pleasure is a natural feature of physical creatures (brain chemicals), so goodness is a natural property.
What form of meta-ethical theory does Bentham’s Utilitarianism represent?
Bentham’s Utilitarianism is a form of meta-ethical naturalism.
Why is goodness considered real in Bentham’s view?
Goodness is real because pleasure is real (moral realism).
What does the statement ‘Hitler was wrong’ express according to Bentham?
It expresses our belief that Hitler’s actions failed to maximise pleasure.
What is the cognitive aspect of ethical language?
Ethical language is cognitive.
What is the first premise of Bentham and Mill’s argument regarding pleasure?
P1. It is human nature to find pleasure good.
What conclusion is drawn from the argument that it is human nature to find pleasure good?
C1. Pleasure is good and we ought to maximise pleasure.
What is Hume’s is-ought gap?
Hume’s is-ought gap attacks the realism and cognitivism of Naturalism.
What does Hume argue about factual is-statements and moral ought-statements?
Hume objects that we cannot get an ought from an is.
What does Hume say about the basis for moral statements?
There is a justification gap between factual and moral statements.
What is the implication of Hume’s argument for Bentham’s moral realism?
Bentham’s argument for moral realism therefore fails.
What does Hume believe about ethical judgments?
Ethical judgments could not have been inferred from facts; they come from our feelings instead.
What is the proposed solution by modern virtue ethics revivalists?
To return to an Aristotelian understanding of moral concepts.
How does E. Anscombe compare ‘ought’ to other needs?
‘Ought’ functions like the word ‘need’, such as a machine needs oil.
What is Philippa Foot’s conclusion regarding deriving ought from is?
Foot concludes there is ‘no difficulty’ in deriving ought from is.
What example does Foot provide to illustrate deriving ought from is?
Children cannot flourish without help from adults, from which we derive that adults ‘ought’ to protect children.
What do we refer to when we call an action good or bad?
We refer to its enabling or disabling of flourishing and whether it is what a virtuous person would do.
What does Hume presuppose about values and facts?
Hume’s insistence that a value cannot be inferred from a fact simply presupposes that values are not a sort of fact.
What is the relationship between ‘ought’ and the needs of flourishing?
‘Ought’ is simply ‘the needs of flourishing’.
Fill in the blank: Humans need certain things in order to flourish, which means we can derive _______ from facts.
[moral oughts]
