Ethics

Ethics Study Guide fundamental rules of morality are the same for all rational beings at all times and places. They do not depend on human nature, the human condition, or any specific social or cultural circumstances. There exists one moral principle and it must never be violated. Some who criticize non-relativistic thinking sometimes confuse objectivism with absolutism; however, rejecting absolutist thinking does not automatically put one in opposition with objectivist thinking. 2.4 Other Meta-Ethical Theories Philosophers in the 1900s examined moral claims through the ethical theories of intuitionism, emotivism, and naturalism . These theories attempt to explain the mean behind claims such as right, ought, and good. 1. Intuitionism makes three claims: (1) “good” is indefinable, (2) there are objective moral truths, and (3) the basic moral truths are self-evident to a mature mind. In intuitionism, we use our own intuition to find out what is right or wrong; this makes justification a private matter. 2. Emotivism is a non-cognitive theory where value judgments, including moral judgments, do not state facts, but are expressions of emotions or attitudes. It analyzes moral judgments as expressions of unfavorable or favorable emotion. This is an example of a subjectivist moral system. 3. Naturalism includes any belief that the nature of ethical thinking is exhaustively understood in terms of natural tendencies of human beings, without mysterious intuitions, operations of conscience, or divine help. The natural sciences (physical or social) are used in making ethical statements, and the findings of those sciences answer ethical questions. Additionally, it suggests that our moral knowledge can be increased though our inquiry into the natural world. Naturalism is an example of a moral realism theory. There are many other meta-ethical theories, and each has a theory in opposition as well. 1. Non-naturalism stands in opposition to naturalism. It states that moral properties exist but are not derived from natural properties. The intuitionist, G.E. Moore, combats naturalism with the naturalistic fallacy . He states that a naturalistic fallacy is committed whenever a philosopher attempts to prove a claim about ethics by using a definition of the term “good” in terms of natural properties (such as “pleasant” or “desired”). Moore attacks this with the open question argument stating that good is indefinable and a non-natural property. 2. Moral realism claims that some moral statements are objectively true. Moral anti- realism states there are no normative truths about one morally ought or ought not to do. 3. Cognitivist anti-realism is the view that all moral statements are false. Non-cognitivist anti- realism is the view that moral statements are neither true nor false. 4. Nihilism, also called error theory , asserts that nothing is right or wrong. While some beliefs say that right and wrong can be defined by the individual or by a culture, nihilism claims that since moral properties aren’t tangible and cannot be defined, then no moral ©2018 Achieve Page 15 of 116