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Meta-Ethics (Non-Cognitive (A.J Ayer (Ethical statements simply express…
Meta-Ethics
Non-Cognitive
Emotivism – Moral statements are expressions of feelings not facts. They have no cognitive knowledge content. Ethical statements are neither true nor false.
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Ethical Naturalism
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Ethics can be understood like other empirical statements
E.g. Trump was elected President of the USA - (Empirical Assessment) - Trump is good president Both statements can be proven to be either true or false through observation or evidence
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Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, argued that what is good may be evil and what is evil may be thought to be good.
Virtue is Vice?
Christian virtues of humility and obedience are detrimental to the human spirit, individuality and the intuitive evolutionary need for self-assertion.
Vice is Virtue
The vice of pride, condemned by St Paul, is to be regarded as a virtue - otherwise humanity will remain subservient.
Intuitionism lacks an objective assessment for right and wrong
Intuitionism Lacks an Authoritative Foundation for Ethics
• “Man is the measure of all things.” (Protagoras)
• Offers the individual too much freedom.
• May suffer from anti-nomian problems, similar to those of
• Sartre’s Existentialism?
W.D. Ross
Six Prima Facie Duties
(Duties one ought to follow, intuitively
in the absence of an over-riding duty)
• Fidelity – faithful to promises made.
• Gratitude – appreciation for support offered.
• Justice – impartial, equal treatment of others and distribution of pleasure
• Beneficience – help for others.
• Self-improvement – self-fulfilment
• Non-malificence - avoid harming others.
Ross does not rank these duties in order of importance. The mature person intuitively knows these prima facie duties are true and may follow the appropriate duty given the demands of the particular situation.
Intuition – Forms (innate) / Innate ability / learnt behaviour – Morality ready to be taught / Formed
