Talk:Philosophy of Ethics
From Philosophy Archive
still to sort out
- Meta-ethics: cognitivism Are there any moral facts, or moral objects? Are moral judgements true or false in relation to an objective moral reality? How are such moral facts known?
- Intuitionism: goodness and rightness are not understandable in terms of natural properties but are metaphysically real and intuited. (put into can ethics be thought about by philosophy?)
- Moral realism: moral, and other (e.g. aesthetic) value claims correspond to, and describe, objective properties.
Associated problems. The is-ought gap and attempts to bridge it. The link between (external) moral values and action. Whether moral disputes can be resolved by appeals to fact. The existence of moral relativism.
- Meta-ethics: Non-Cognitivism
This section deals with those positions that are sceptical about moral facts, moral objects or properties and moral absolutism: rather, we are the source of moral (and other) values.
- Emotivism: moral judgements are expressive of emotions and preferences and are intended to affect the feelings of others.
- Prescriptivism: moral judgements express rational, and universalizable, commendations and guide actions.
- Associated problems. Is value given by the form rather than the content of judgements? Can anything be valued? The (supposed) normative implications of scepticism about moral truths: nihilism, tolerance, relativism. Can we speak of moral progress?
need more on analytic ethics?
possible ordering:
- Meta-ethics
- Normative Ethics
- Applied Ethics
- Moral Psychology
- Approaches to Ethics (or something)
- Virtue Ethics
- Consequentialism
- Deontology
- Cultural Relativism
- Ethical Egoism
- Non-cognitivism
Autonomy - took this out, put it back in?
There has been much recent study of the ethics of autonomy; how the self ties in with ethics. (see autonomy, ethical, free-will, self-deception) and how these selves interact in a social context (solidarity). Also considered is the extent of moral responsibility.
