Meta-ethics
Essay link for 30 marker: Philosophy, religous language- Ayer’s
verification principle shows that he is critical of religious language
as well as moral language and Hare’s ideas on bliks links to the
different responses people have to the world that are cognitive
and non-cognitive
What is meta-ethics and how does it differ from normative ethics?
An area of ethics that seeks to explore and discover the meaning of the words used
in ethical statements. For example, what do we mean by ‘good’ and ‘bad’?
It differs from normative ethics because it no longer tells us how to be moral. In this
sense, meta-ethics is morally neutral because it doesn’t tell us how to act.
What does ‘meta’ mean?
‘Meta’ means ‘beyond’ or ‘above’ in Greek
What is the fact-value distinction and how do cognitivist and non-cognitivist views
differ?
A fact is a statement that can be true or false, whereas a value can be a belief or
judgement about the world or an attitude towards the world.
This issue is whether a value judgment, such as ‘abortion is wrong’ can be
considered a fact.
Cognitivists are moral realists and would argue that values are based on facts.
There are certain actions that can be right and wrong. Believing that abortion is
wrong, for example, is to believe factually that abortion is wrong, that the world is
made in such a way as to make abortion unnatural.
Non-cognitivists are moral anti-realists and would argue that values are not facts
and moral discourse doesn’t inform us about the world. A person making a moral
judgement is not describing the way the world is but expressing pleasure or
displeasure. Thus, I might think it is wrong to cause pain because I dislike pain.
However, the fact that something is painful doesn’t mean that it is wrong.
Meta-ethics 1
, What is the is-ought gap?
A similar argument to the fact-value distinction that was put forward by David Hume
in Book III of his Treatise of Human Nature.
Just because something is, doesn't mean it ought to be that way, i.e. we can’t derive
moral conclusions from factual statements.
For example, the fact a foetus may feel pain doesn't dictate that women should or
shouldn’t have an abortion.
What are the main differences between cognitivists and non-cognitivists?
Cognitivism Non-cognitivism
Realism Anti-realism
Morality is discovered Moral truth is invented by humans
Moral truth exists Moral statements are neither true nor false
Good and right are properties in the world There are no moral properties in the world
Moral judgments are right if they’re based There is no such thing as an objective morality;
on an objective moral reality moral judgements are based on emotions
Morality is objective Morality is subjective
Values and facts should be distinguished; moral
Values are factual claims
facts do not exist
What is ethical naturalism and how does utilitarianism apply?
Ethical naturalism is the cognitivist and empiricist view that there are natural moral
properties in the world
Moral laws can be verified though observation as the natural world is the source of
truth (link to natural law). Once verified by nature moral statements can be
objectively true. For example, the statement “murder is wrong” is true because in
natural law it prevents the preservation of life.
F.H. Bradley stated that we discover our moral obligation from society. He said that
moral activity is finding out your position in society and carrying out your duties. He
states it is possible to define what is good as things that are morally good are
revealed to use through nature.
Meta-ethics 2
Essay link for 30 marker: Philosophy, religous language- Ayer’s
verification principle shows that he is critical of religious language
as well as moral language and Hare’s ideas on bliks links to the
different responses people have to the world that are cognitive
and non-cognitive
What is meta-ethics and how does it differ from normative ethics?
An area of ethics that seeks to explore and discover the meaning of the words used
in ethical statements. For example, what do we mean by ‘good’ and ‘bad’?
It differs from normative ethics because it no longer tells us how to be moral. In this
sense, meta-ethics is morally neutral because it doesn’t tell us how to act.
What does ‘meta’ mean?
‘Meta’ means ‘beyond’ or ‘above’ in Greek
What is the fact-value distinction and how do cognitivist and non-cognitivist views
differ?
A fact is a statement that can be true or false, whereas a value can be a belief or
judgement about the world or an attitude towards the world.
This issue is whether a value judgment, such as ‘abortion is wrong’ can be
considered a fact.
Cognitivists are moral realists and would argue that values are based on facts.
There are certain actions that can be right and wrong. Believing that abortion is
wrong, for example, is to believe factually that abortion is wrong, that the world is
made in such a way as to make abortion unnatural.
Non-cognitivists are moral anti-realists and would argue that values are not facts
and moral discourse doesn’t inform us about the world. A person making a moral
judgement is not describing the way the world is but expressing pleasure or
displeasure. Thus, I might think it is wrong to cause pain because I dislike pain.
However, the fact that something is painful doesn’t mean that it is wrong.
Meta-ethics 1
, What is the is-ought gap?
A similar argument to the fact-value distinction that was put forward by David Hume
in Book III of his Treatise of Human Nature.
Just because something is, doesn't mean it ought to be that way, i.e. we can’t derive
moral conclusions from factual statements.
For example, the fact a foetus may feel pain doesn't dictate that women should or
shouldn’t have an abortion.
What are the main differences between cognitivists and non-cognitivists?
Cognitivism Non-cognitivism
Realism Anti-realism
Morality is discovered Moral truth is invented by humans
Moral truth exists Moral statements are neither true nor false
Good and right are properties in the world There are no moral properties in the world
Moral judgments are right if they’re based There is no such thing as an objective morality;
on an objective moral reality moral judgements are based on emotions
Morality is objective Morality is subjective
Values and facts should be distinguished; moral
Values are factual claims
facts do not exist
What is ethical naturalism and how does utilitarianism apply?
Ethical naturalism is the cognitivist and empiricist view that there are natural moral
properties in the world
Moral laws can be verified though observation as the natural world is the source of
truth (link to natural law). Once verified by nature moral statements can be
objectively true. For example, the statement “murder is wrong” is true because in
natural law it prevents the preservation of life.
F.H. Bradley stated that we discover our moral obligation from society. He said that
moral activity is finding out your position in society and carrying out your duties. He
states it is possible to define what is good as things that are morally good are
revealed to use through nature.
Meta-ethics 2
