META ETHICS
Meta ethics asks what moral statements mean and examines ethical language
It asks what we mean when we call something ‘good’ or ‘bad’?
It is about normative ethics and tries to make sense of the words that are used so that we
can understand fully what is meant when we call something ‘good’ or ‘bad’.
For some ethical statements are about facts which are either right or wrong, but for others
they are what we believe is right or wrong.
Ethical statements are more expressions of emotion or point of view
Ethical Language:
Refers to the words we use in ethics
Examines the meaning of ethical judgements like ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ – asks
whether these terms have different meanings in different cultures and at different times
Some philosophers fell that this must be addressed before we can even begin to consider
how we should act.
The main question is whether the terms we use in ethical language refer to something real,
something which exists ‘out there’ in the world we live in or something within ourselves –
our personal feelings or emotions
Normative ethics:
This is different from meta ethics in that it gives a guide for moral behaviour
It asks the question – ‘what should I do in situation X?’
There are 2 main approaches to normative ethics:
1. Teleological: concerned with the ends and consequences
- The rightness/wrongness of any action is decided by the consequences and so no
action is good in itself, but is only good if it has good consequences
- EG: utilitarianism
2. Deontological: based on moral rules that cannot be broken and the consequences are
not important – only the act matters
- Actions are right and wrong regardless of the outcome.
- EG: Kantian Ethics
Cognitive and Non-cognitive:
A key factor in ethical dilemmas is whether they are subjective or objective
Subjective: each person’s values are relative to that person – personal opinion
- EG: Beyoncé is the best singer ever.
Objective: ethical value exist independently – facts.
- EG: Water is wet.
If ethics is objective, then it is cognitive.
Meta ethics asks what moral statements mean and examines ethical language
It asks what we mean when we call something ‘good’ or ‘bad’?
It is about normative ethics and tries to make sense of the words that are used so that we
can understand fully what is meant when we call something ‘good’ or ‘bad’.
For some ethical statements are about facts which are either right or wrong, but for others
they are what we believe is right or wrong.
Ethical statements are more expressions of emotion or point of view
Ethical Language:
Refers to the words we use in ethics
Examines the meaning of ethical judgements like ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ – asks
whether these terms have different meanings in different cultures and at different times
Some philosophers fell that this must be addressed before we can even begin to consider
how we should act.
The main question is whether the terms we use in ethical language refer to something real,
something which exists ‘out there’ in the world we live in or something within ourselves –
our personal feelings or emotions
Normative ethics:
This is different from meta ethics in that it gives a guide for moral behaviour
It asks the question – ‘what should I do in situation X?’
There are 2 main approaches to normative ethics:
1. Teleological: concerned with the ends and consequences
- The rightness/wrongness of any action is decided by the consequences and so no
action is good in itself, but is only good if it has good consequences
- EG: utilitarianism
2. Deontological: based on moral rules that cannot be broken and the consequences are
not important – only the act matters
- Actions are right and wrong regardless of the outcome.
- EG: Kantian Ethics
Cognitive and Non-cognitive:
A key factor in ethical dilemmas is whether they are subjective or objective
Subjective: each person’s values are relative to that person – personal opinion
- EG: Beyoncé is the best singer ever.
Objective: ethical value exist independently – facts.
- EG: Water is wet.
If ethics is objective, then it is cognitive.
