Meta Ethics
Meta-ethics - ANS-Area of ethics that seeks to explore and discover the meaning of
words used in ethical statements.
Normative ethics - ANS-Discusses whether things are right or wrong, good or bad.
Cognitive - ANS-Ethical language can have a true meaning and statements are subject
to truth or falsity.
Non-cognitive - ANS-Ethical language has no true meaning.
Vienna circle - ANS-Group of philosophers who developed logical positivism - looking at
ethical and religious language from a more scientific perspective. Said statements
cannot be verified as are neither analytical or synthetic, so must be meaningless.
Ludwig Wittgenstein - ANS-'Whereof we cannot speak, thereof we must remain silent'.
To focus on meanings of language is detrimental to any discussion of ethical questions
and some followers of his suggest it is impossible to even discuss ethical theories.
Two approaches within cognitivism - ANS-Naturalism (knowable through empirical
evidence).
Non-naturalism (knowable using intuition).
Naturalism - ANS-Good can be defined. Statements proven accurate through empirical
evidence. Similar to a fact.
Non-naturalism - ANS-Good cannot be defined. A way to describe something not a
quality.
G.E. Moore - ANS-Non-naturalist. Said trying to define good is like defining a colour e.g.
can only give examples. Believed language was made up of propositions made true by
objective features independent of human opinion. Goodness and rightness are not
natural properties. Rejected naturalism as it reduces moral terms to non moral
properties.
Intuitionism - ANS-Ethical truths are known through a special faculty: moral intuition. We
can determine right and wrong. Moore believed we recognise good when we see it.
Meta-ethics - ANS-Area of ethics that seeks to explore and discover the meaning of
words used in ethical statements.
Normative ethics - ANS-Discusses whether things are right or wrong, good or bad.
Cognitive - ANS-Ethical language can have a true meaning and statements are subject
to truth or falsity.
Non-cognitive - ANS-Ethical language has no true meaning.
Vienna circle - ANS-Group of philosophers who developed logical positivism - looking at
ethical and religious language from a more scientific perspective. Said statements
cannot be verified as are neither analytical or synthetic, so must be meaningless.
Ludwig Wittgenstein - ANS-'Whereof we cannot speak, thereof we must remain silent'.
To focus on meanings of language is detrimental to any discussion of ethical questions
and some followers of his suggest it is impossible to even discuss ethical theories.
Two approaches within cognitivism - ANS-Naturalism (knowable through empirical
evidence).
Non-naturalism (knowable using intuition).
Naturalism - ANS-Good can be defined. Statements proven accurate through empirical
evidence. Similar to a fact.
Non-naturalism - ANS-Good cannot be defined. A way to describe something not a
quality.
G.E. Moore - ANS-Non-naturalist. Said trying to define good is like defining a colour e.g.
can only give examples. Believed language was made up of propositions made true by
objective features independent of human opinion. Goodness and rightness are not
natural properties. Rejected naturalism as it reduces moral terms to non moral
properties.
Intuitionism - ANS-Ethical truths are known through a special faculty: moral intuition. We
can determine right and wrong. Moore believed we recognise good when we see it.
