Ethical language: Meta ethics

Question 1

What is a definition of Meta-ethics?

Answer 1

Meta ethics is a theory that attempts to answer what morality is

Question 2

What is Cognitivism vs Non-Cognitivism?

Answer 2

These are 2 opposing meta-ethical perspectives:
- cognitivism is when an individual’s statement is either objectively true or false with sufficient evidence
- non cognitivism is when an individual’s statement is believed to be merely an expression of how they feel about a topic as they cannot prove it to be true or false

Question 3

What is the Ethical naturalism approach?

Answer 3

A type of cognitivism which states that moral truths can be discovered in the same way that scientific facts are (e.g. through empirical research and observation of the natural world).

Question 4

What are the issues with ethical naturalism?

Answer 4

1. G.E. Moore argues that good is a non-natural term and can only be recognised not defined.
2. Hume’s ‘is-ought’ problem states you cannot move from factual to ethical statement as factual has empirical elements

Question 5

What is the Intuitionism approach?

Answer 5

This theory, developed by Moore, still embodies the idea that good is indefinable, but adds that there are objective moral truths, and that the only way to know these is through intuition.

Question 6

What is WD Ross’ version of Moore’s Intuitionism theory?

Answer 6

• At first sight, duties are right
• Judgement must be used to decide what to do in any situation
• One duty can be rejected in favour of another

Question 7

What are Moore’s 7 ‘at first sight’ duties?

Answer 7

1. Duty of commitment
2. Duty of reparation
3. Duty of gratitude
4. Duty of justice
5. Duty of beneficence
6. Duty of self-improvement
7. Duty of non-maleficence

Question 8

What are the strengths and limits of Intuitionism?

Answer 8

Strengths:
- It is valid as empirical investigation cannot define what morality is
- Great agreement across societies
Limits:
- People can have an intuition that is wrong
- There is great disagreement about moral matters in the world

Question 9

What is the Emotivism approach?

Answer 9

A type of non-cognitivism which is the idea that ethical statements are merely expressions of feelings

Question 10

What is A.J. Ayer’s version of Emotivism?

Answer 10

• Words like good are meaningless
• Ethical statements are just expressions of feelings
• Ethical statements cannot be validated

Question 11

What are the strengths and limits of Emotivism?

Answer 11

Strengths:
- Good understanding of emotional intention
- There is separation between facts and emotions
- All emotions have the same validity (egalitarian)
Limits:
- Logical positivism is self-defeating
- Irrational as it focuses on the effect a statement has
- Leads to relativism - all will believe morality is just emotion

Question 12

What is the Prescriptivism approach?

Answer 12

This theory states that ethical statements have an intrinsic sense so other people should agree with the statement and follow it

Question 13

What is R.M. Hare’s version of Prescriptivism?

Answer 13

• Ethical statements are expressions of opinion
• Ethical statements are also universal
• They are not just expressing our views, but prescribing them to others (as a command)

Question 14

What are the strengths and limits of Prescriptivism?

Answer 14

Strengths:
- Goes beyond mere sentiment to practice
- Based more on logic than persuasion
Limits:
- Does not suggest how one could differentiate between different moral statements and why one is superior to another
- Doesn’t prevent judgements that many people may intuitively consider immoral