Meta ethics

Moore uses there to reject naturalism, because if something pleasurable is good then it ought to be a closed question.

Different levels of ethical discuss

Specific questions, general questions, meta ethics asks bigger questions like whether right and wrong exist.

Two connected debates- one discussion talks about the meaning of ethical words ‘good’ ‘bad’.
second discussion talks about reality and existance.

Three main theories- natrulism suggest good and bad can be observed using our senses.
intutionalism suggest good and bad exist but cannot be seen or discovered like other things
emotivism rejects the view good and bad exist. When making a moral statement we are showing our feelings

Naturalist (cognitive) intuitionism (cognitive) emotivism (non cognitive)

Naturalism-type of moral realism, cognitive theory allows us to make moral claims and be true or false.

Aquinas views the world as having a god given natrual order that we discover through observation

John Stuart mill views the world from a. Ulitiarian view. As we observe the world, we are able to see that certain actions lead to pleasure.

Intuitionism- moral values can be defined in terms of some natrual property of the world.

Emotivism

Closed and open questions

Closed questions where only one answer is actually possible. Open question questions with serval different answers are possible

Moore uses there to reject naturalism, because if something pleasurable is good then it ought to be a closed question.

He believes that good cannot be defined, he is a realised. But goodness can be pointed out in examples.

Belief that ethical terms show approval or disapproval

Comes from Ayers verification principle, as well as Hume who says that there are two types of knowledge that we obtain. Relation of ideas- priori knowledge. Matters of fact- posturing knowledge things wise observe.

Ayer uses analytic and synthetic statements

He argues that ethical statements are simply expressions of personal preferences. Linking morality to feelings not reason.

Wittgenstein made the arguement that is was misunderstanding of language that was responsible for many philosophical problems, example philosophers were like flies trapped in a jar, by being careful attention to language and the meaning of words, it would realese the flies from the jar.