Ethics Notes
Contents
THE CORE DEBATES...................................................................4
DEFINITIONS............................................................................. 5
COGNITIVISM VS NON-COGNITIVISM- ARE MORAL JUDGEMENTS
BELIEFS?..................................................................................5
Cognitivism................................................................................................................................................... 5
What do cognitivists think?..................................................................................................................................5
Arguments for cognitivism...................................................................................................................................5
Non-cognitivism............................................................................................................................................ 6
What do non-cognitivists think?..........................................................................................................................6
Types of Non Cognitivism.....................................................................................................................................6
Arguments for non-cognitivism...........................................................................................................................8
Arguments against non-cognitivism..................................................................................................................10
Hybrid view................................................................................................................................................ 18
MOTIVATIONAL INTERNALISM VS MOTIVATIONAL EXTERNALISM. 18
The Humean Theory of Motivation.............................................................................................................. 19
Arguments against the Humean Theory of Motivation.....................................................................................19
Arguments for the Humean Theory of Motivation............................................................................................20
Types of Internalism.................................................................................................................................... 21
Strong Internalism..............................................................................................................................................21
Weak Internalism...............................................................................................................................................21
Rationalist Internalism.......................................................................................................................................21
Externalist account of moral motivation...................................................................................................... 21
Desire to do what is right...................................................................................................................................21
The model of suggestible people.......................................................................................................................22
Second order desires- Brink...............................................................................................................................23
Limiting desire....................................................................................................................................................23
Desire to cause pleasure and prevent pain.......................................................................................................23
Arguments for Internalism.......................................................................................................................... 23
Arguments for externalism.......................................................................................................................... 24
Avoids the moral problem.................................................................................................................................24
Not always motivated........................................................................................................................................24
The amoralist.....................................................................................................................................................24
,ERROR THEORY VS FACTUALISM- ARE SOME MORAL BELIEFS
TRUE?..................................................................................... 25
Factualism.................................................................................................................................................. 25
What do factualists believe?..............................................................................................................................25
Arguments for factualism..................................................................................................................................26
Error Theory- Mackie.................................................................................................................................. 26
What do error theorists believe?.......................................................................................................................26
Arguments for error theory...............................................................................................................................26
Arguments against error theory........................................................................................................................29
Fictionalism................................................................................................................................................ 30
What is fictionalism?..........................................................................................................................................30
Arguments for fictionalism................................................................................................................................31
Arguments against fictionalism.........................................................................................................................32
REALISM VS CONSTRUCTIVISM- ARE MORAL FACTS
METAPHYSICALLY OBJECTIVE?..................................................32
Moral realism............................................................................................................................................. 32
What do moral realists believe?........................................................................................................................32
Arguments for realism.......................................................................................................................................32
Arguments against moral realism......................................................................................................................32
Constructivism/response dependent views................................................................................................. 35
What do constructivists believe?.......................................................................................................................35
Versions of constructivism.................................................................................................................................36
Arguments for constructivism...........................................................................................................................38
Arguments against constructivism.....................................................................................................................38
NATURALISM VS NON-NATURALISM- ARE THE METAPHYSICALLY
OBJECTIVE MORAL FACTS NATURAL?.........................................38
What are natural facts/properties?...................................................................................................................38
Naturalist Realism....................................................................................................................................... 39
What do naturalist realists believe?..................................................................................................................39
Neo-Aristotelian Naturalism..............................................................................................................................39
Analytic vs synthetic naturalism........................................................................................................................39
A Posteriori vs a priori naturalism.....................................................................................................................43
Reductive vs Non-Reductive Naturalism...........................................................................................................43
Arguments for naturalist realism.......................................................................................................................45
Non-naturalist realism................................................................................................................................ 45
What do non-naturalists believe?......................................................................................................................45
Versions of non-naturalism................................................................................................................................45
Arguments for non-naturalism..........................................................................................................................45
Arguments against non-naturalism...................................................................................................................49
Supernaturalism......................................................................................................................................... 50
,MORAL REASONS.....................................................................50
What are reasons?...................................................................................................................................... 50
The Paradox................................................................................................................................................ 50
Moral Rationalism..............................................................................................................................................50
GENERAL NORMATIVE ETHICS...................................................50
Four tasks for moral philosophers (Sinclair)................................................................................................. 50
KANT...................................................................................... 51
Background to Kant’s moral theory............................................................................................................. 51
Definitions according to Kant...................................................................................................................... 51
Only actions from duty have moral worth................................................................................................... 51
Good will is the only thing that is unconditionally valuable..............................................................................51
What is acting from duty?..................................................................................................................................52
What is moral worth?........................................................................................................................................55
Objections to acting from duty..........................................................................................................................55
Formulations of the Categorical Imperative................................................................................................. 58
Are the formulas equivalent?............................................................................................................................58
Examples given by Kant............................................................................................................................... 59
To illustrate the formula of the universal law/the formula of the law of nature.............................................59
To illustrate the formula of humanity................................................................................................................59
Deriving the Categorical Imperative............................................................................................................ 60
The Formula of the Universal Law............................................................................................................... 60
Contradiction in conception..............................................................................................................................60
Contradiction in will...........................................................................................................................................60
Objections to the formula of the universal law.................................................................................................60
The Formula of Humanity............................................................................................................................ 62
Deriving the formula of humanity.....................................................................................................................62
What is the formula of humanity?.....................................................................................................................62
Objections to the formula of humanity.............................................................................................................62
Moral obligations from autonomy............................................................................................................... 63
VIRTUE ETHICS........................................................................63
What is virtue ethics?.................................................................................................................................. 63
What is living well?............................................................................................................................................64
What is virtue?...................................................................................................................................................65
What is the virtuous person like?......................................................................................................................66
What is a moral action?.....................................................................................................................................67
What is the basis for morality?..........................................................................................................................68
, Forms of virtue ethics.................................................................................................................................. 68
Eudaimonist ethics.............................................................................................................................................68
Agent-based and exemplarist virtue ethics.......................................................................................................68
Target-centred virtue ethics..............................................................................................................................68
Aristotle’s virtue ethics............................................................................................................................... 69
Function argument.............................................................................................................................................69
Doctrine of the mean.........................................................................................................................................69
External goods....................................................................................................................................................69
Practical Wisdom...............................................................................................................................................70
Habituation........................................................................................................................................................70
Must have all virtues to be virtuous..................................................................................................................70
How do modern theories differ?.......................................................................................................................70
Advantages of virtue ethics......................................................................................................................... 70
Problems supposed to solve..............................................................................................................................71
Problems with virtue ethics......................................................................................................................... 72
Not action guiding..............................................................................................................................................72
Nothing distinctive to say about morality.........................................................................................................73
Wrong basis for morality...................................................................................................................................73
No such thing as character.................................................................................................................................75
Cultural relativity................................................................................................................................................76
Those who find it easier more praise-worthy....................................................................................................76
WOW MAYBE THIS HELPS.........................................................77
The Core Debates
Are moral judgements beliefs?
Yes No
Cognitivism Non-cognitivism e.g. emotivism, quasi-realism, norm expressivism
Are some moral beliefs true?
Yes No
Factualist Error theory
Are moral facts metaphysically objective?
Yes No
Moral realism Constructivism
Are the metaphysically objective moral facts natural?
Yes No
Contents
THE CORE DEBATES...................................................................4
DEFINITIONS............................................................................. 5
COGNITIVISM VS NON-COGNITIVISM- ARE MORAL JUDGEMENTS
BELIEFS?..................................................................................5
Cognitivism................................................................................................................................................... 5
What do cognitivists think?..................................................................................................................................5
Arguments for cognitivism...................................................................................................................................5
Non-cognitivism............................................................................................................................................ 6
What do non-cognitivists think?..........................................................................................................................6
Types of Non Cognitivism.....................................................................................................................................6
Arguments for non-cognitivism...........................................................................................................................8
Arguments against non-cognitivism..................................................................................................................10
Hybrid view................................................................................................................................................ 18
MOTIVATIONAL INTERNALISM VS MOTIVATIONAL EXTERNALISM. 18
The Humean Theory of Motivation.............................................................................................................. 19
Arguments against the Humean Theory of Motivation.....................................................................................19
Arguments for the Humean Theory of Motivation............................................................................................20
Types of Internalism.................................................................................................................................... 21
Strong Internalism..............................................................................................................................................21
Weak Internalism...............................................................................................................................................21
Rationalist Internalism.......................................................................................................................................21
Externalist account of moral motivation...................................................................................................... 21
Desire to do what is right...................................................................................................................................21
The model of suggestible people.......................................................................................................................22
Second order desires- Brink...............................................................................................................................23
Limiting desire....................................................................................................................................................23
Desire to cause pleasure and prevent pain.......................................................................................................23
Arguments for Internalism.......................................................................................................................... 23
Arguments for externalism.......................................................................................................................... 24
Avoids the moral problem.................................................................................................................................24
Not always motivated........................................................................................................................................24
The amoralist.....................................................................................................................................................24
,ERROR THEORY VS FACTUALISM- ARE SOME MORAL BELIEFS
TRUE?..................................................................................... 25
Factualism.................................................................................................................................................. 25
What do factualists believe?..............................................................................................................................25
Arguments for factualism..................................................................................................................................26
Error Theory- Mackie.................................................................................................................................. 26
What do error theorists believe?.......................................................................................................................26
Arguments for error theory...............................................................................................................................26
Arguments against error theory........................................................................................................................29
Fictionalism................................................................................................................................................ 30
What is fictionalism?..........................................................................................................................................30
Arguments for fictionalism................................................................................................................................31
Arguments against fictionalism.........................................................................................................................32
REALISM VS CONSTRUCTIVISM- ARE MORAL FACTS
METAPHYSICALLY OBJECTIVE?..................................................32
Moral realism............................................................................................................................................. 32
What do moral realists believe?........................................................................................................................32
Arguments for realism.......................................................................................................................................32
Arguments against moral realism......................................................................................................................32
Constructivism/response dependent views................................................................................................. 35
What do constructivists believe?.......................................................................................................................35
Versions of constructivism.................................................................................................................................36
Arguments for constructivism...........................................................................................................................38
Arguments against constructivism.....................................................................................................................38
NATURALISM VS NON-NATURALISM- ARE THE METAPHYSICALLY
OBJECTIVE MORAL FACTS NATURAL?.........................................38
What are natural facts/properties?...................................................................................................................38
Naturalist Realism....................................................................................................................................... 39
What do naturalist realists believe?..................................................................................................................39
Neo-Aristotelian Naturalism..............................................................................................................................39
Analytic vs synthetic naturalism........................................................................................................................39
A Posteriori vs a priori naturalism.....................................................................................................................43
Reductive vs Non-Reductive Naturalism...........................................................................................................43
Arguments for naturalist realism.......................................................................................................................45
Non-naturalist realism................................................................................................................................ 45
What do non-naturalists believe?......................................................................................................................45
Versions of non-naturalism................................................................................................................................45
Arguments for non-naturalism..........................................................................................................................45
Arguments against non-naturalism...................................................................................................................49
Supernaturalism......................................................................................................................................... 50
,MORAL REASONS.....................................................................50
What are reasons?...................................................................................................................................... 50
The Paradox................................................................................................................................................ 50
Moral Rationalism..............................................................................................................................................50
GENERAL NORMATIVE ETHICS...................................................50
Four tasks for moral philosophers (Sinclair)................................................................................................. 50
KANT...................................................................................... 51
Background to Kant’s moral theory............................................................................................................. 51
Definitions according to Kant...................................................................................................................... 51
Only actions from duty have moral worth................................................................................................... 51
Good will is the only thing that is unconditionally valuable..............................................................................51
What is acting from duty?..................................................................................................................................52
What is moral worth?........................................................................................................................................55
Objections to acting from duty..........................................................................................................................55
Formulations of the Categorical Imperative................................................................................................. 58
Are the formulas equivalent?............................................................................................................................58
Examples given by Kant............................................................................................................................... 59
To illustrate the formula of the universal law/the formula of the law of nature.............................................59
To illustrate the formula of humanity................................................................................................................59
Deriving the Categorical Imperative............................................................................................................ 60
The Formula of the Universal Law............................................................................................................... 60
Contradiction in conception..............................................................................................................................60
Contradiction in will...........................................................................................................................................60
Objections to the formula of the universal law.................................................................................................60
The Formula of Humanity............................................................................................................................ 62
Deriving the formula of humanity.....................................................................................................................62
What is the formula of humanity?.....................................................................................................................62
Objections to the formula of humanity.............................................................................................................62
Moral obligations from autonomy............................................................................................................... 63
VIRTUE ETHICS........................................................................63
What is virtue ethics?.................................................................................................................................. 63
What is living well?............................................................................................................................................64
What is virtue?...................................................................................................................................................65
What is the virtuous person like?......................................................................................................................66
What is a moral action?.....................................................................................................................................67
What is the basis for morality?..........................................................................................................................68
, Forms of virtue ethics.................................................................................................................................. 68
Eudaimonist ethics.............................................................................................................................................68
Agent-based and exemplarist virtue ethics.......................................................................................................68
Target-centred virtue ethics..............................................................................................................................68
Aristotle’s virtue ethics............................................................................................................................... 69
Function argument.............................................................................................................................................69
Doctrine of the mean.........................................................................................................................................69
External goods....................................................................................................................................................69
Practical Wisdom...............................................................................................................................................70
Habituation........................................................................................................................................................70
Must have all virtues to be virtuous..................................................................................................................70
How do modern theories differ?.......................................................................................................................70
Advantages of virtue ethics......................................................................................................................... 70
Problems supposed to solve..............................................................................................................................71
Problems with virtue ethics......................................................................................................................... 72
Not action guiding..............................................................................................................................................72
Nothing distinctive to say about morality.........................................................................................................73
Wrong basis for morality...................................................................................................................................73
No such thing as character.................................................................................................................................75
Cultural relativity................................................................................................................................................76
Those who find it easier more praise-worthy....................................................................................................76
WOW MAYBE THIS HELPS.........................................................77
The Core Debates
Are moral judgements beliefs?
Yes No
Cognitivism Non-cognitivism e.g. emotivism, quasi-realism, norm expressivism
Are some moral beliefs true?
Yes No
Factualist Error theory
Are moral facts metaphysically objective?
Yes No
Moral realism Constructivism
Are the metaphysically objective moral facts natural?
Yes No
