Meta-ethics

• What does meta-ethics examine?

  It examines the meaning of ethical language
• What are the two main approaches within meta-ethics?

  Cognitive theories and non-cognitive theories
• What do cognitive theories believe about ethical statements?

  They can be proved true or false
• What do non-cognitive theories assert about ethical statements?

  They cannot be proved true or false
• What does ethical naturalism claim?

  Ethical statements can be proved true or false
• What is the naturalistic fallacy according to G.E. Moore?

  Goodness cannot be defined by natural properties
• How does G.E. Moore define goodness?

  As a simple unanalyzable property
• What does H.A. Prichard believe about moral intuition?

  It helps us recognize goodness in situations
• What are the two types of thinking according to H.A. Prichard?

  Reason and intuition
• What are prima facie duties according to W.D. Ross?

  Actions that are obviously right over others
• What is a criticism of intuitionism?

  It lacks empirical evidence for correctness
• What does emotivism claim about ethical statements?

  They express personal approval or disapproval
• Who is associated with the emotivism theory?

  A.J. Ayer
• What are the two types of meaningful statements according to A.J. Ayer?

  Analytic and synthetic statements
• What is the boo/hurrah theory in emotivism?

  It expresses approval or disapproval of actions
• How does C.L. Stevenson expand on A.J. Ayer's emotivism?

  He emphasizes influencing others' opinions
• What is a criticism of emotivism?

  It lacks empirical evidence for truth
• Who is associated with prescriptivism?

  R.M. Hare
• What does prescriptivism state about ethical statements?

  They express what ought to be done
• What is a criticism of prescriptivism?

  It questions the importance of individual opinions
• What are the key differences between cognitive and non-cognitive theories?

  • Cognitive theories: Ethical statements can be true or false
  • Non-cognitive theories: Ethical statements cannot be proved true or false
• What are the main criticisms of cognitive theories?

  • Lack of empirical evidence for intuitionism
  • Naturalistic fallacy in ethical naturalism
• What are the main criticisms of non-cognitive theories?

  • Emotivism lacks empirical evidence
  • Prescriptivism questions the validity of opinions
• What is the naturalistic fallacy?

  Good cannot be defined from natural facts
• What problems arise if ethical statements are based solely on empirical evidence?

  They must withstand scrutiny like non-ethical statements
• What did Moore argue about ethical and non-ethical statements?

  They cannot be treated the same way
• According to Moore, what cannot be based on facts?

  What we 'ought' to do
• Who influenced Moore's views on the naturalistic fallacy?

  David Hume
• What did Hume believe about deriving 'ought' from 'is'?

  It would be logically wrong
• What does Moore suggest about ascribing natural properties to morality?

  It is fallacious reasoning
• How does Moore view the definition of good?

  It cannot be defined in simpler terms
• What does the Open Question Argument illustrate about pleasure and goodness?

  Asking 'But is it good?' shows pleasure isn't good
• What does non-naturalism assert about ethical statements?

  Facts cannot prove them true or false
• What challenge does intuitionism present in ethical discussions?

  Disagreement on which intuition is correct
• How does Moore's approach to intuitionism come across?

  Dogmatic and lacking full explanation
• What is a criticism of emotivism as an ethical theory?

  It reduces ethics to personal feelings
• What does James Rachels argue against Ayer and Stevenson?

  They ignore reasoning in ethical judgments
• What happens to moral judgments without reasoning, according to Rachels?

  They become arbitrary and pointless
• How does emotivism view statements about atrocities like the Rwandan Genocide?

  They are subjective personal feelings
• What question does Stevenson raise about moral perspectives?

  Why is one perspective better than another?