Philosophy Metaethics Questions Medium
The main branches of Metaethics are moral realism, moral anti-realism, and moral relativism.
1. Moral Realism: This branch of Metaethics holds that moral facts exist independently of human beliefs and attitudes. According to moral realists, moral statements can be objectively true or false, and moral properties are objective features of the world. Moral realism encompasses various theories, such as ethical naturalism (which argues that moral properties are reducible to natural properties) and ethical non-naturalism (which posits that moral properties are irreducible and non-natural).
2. Moral Anti-Realism: In contrast to moral realism, moral anti-realism denies the existence of objective moral facts. It encompasses several sub-branches, including moral subjectivism, error theory, and non-cognitivism.
a) Moral Subjectivism: This view suggests that moral statements are expressions of individual or cultural attitudes, opinions, or preferences. Moral judgments are subjective and vary from person to person or culture to culture. What is morally right or wrong is determined by personal or cultural beliefs.
b) Error Theory: Error theorists argue that moral statements are systematically mistaken because they imply the existence of objective moral facts that do not exist. According to this view, moral judgments are fundamentally flawed and should be abandoned.
c) Non-Cognitivism: Non-cognitivists claim that moral statements do not express propositions or beliefs that can be true or false. Instead, they argue that moral statements serve other functions, such as expressing emotions, attitudes, or desires. Non-cognitivism rejects the idea that moral judgments are cognitive claims about the world.
3. Moral Relativism: Moral relativism posits that moral judgments are true or false relative to a particular culture, society, or individual. It holds that there are no universal or objective moral standards, and what is morally right or wrong depends on the context. Cultural relativism and individual relativism are two common forms of moral relativism.
a) Cultural Relativism: Cultural relativism asserts that moral judgments are determined by the norms, values, and practices of a particular culture. What is considered morally right or wrong varies across different cultures, and there is no objective standard to judge one culture's morality against another.
b) Individual Relativism: Individual relativism extends the relativistic view to the level of individual subjectivity. It argues that moral judgments are subjective and vary from person to person. Each individual determines their own moral standards based on personal beliefs, desires, or preferences.
These branches of Metaethics explore fundamental questions about the nature of morality, the existence of moral facts, and the objectivity or subjectivity of moral judgments.