Cognitive Theories of Meta Ethics

1. Cognitive Theories of Meta Ethics Is ‘abortion is wrong’ a fact, or opinion? Jot down your thoughts on a mwb Can ethical statements be proved true or false?

2. Ethical language Lesson Objectives: To be able to explain cognitivist approaches to ethical language To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these theories H/W: Independent Learning Booklet Task: Consider the statement ‘Murder is wrong’?. What does ‘wrong’ mean to the cognitivist?

3. Meta Ethics Start to create a flow diagram for Meta-Ethics Add the following words: absolute, realist, subjective, anti-realist

4. Believe that ethical language IS/IS NOT meaningful • Morality CAN/CANNOT be deduced by a process of thought • CAN/CANNOT be proved • Is a REALIST/ANTI-REALIST position Cognitivists

5. Naturalism In a nutshell: moral truths are facts that can be proved by examining the empirical evidence: ‘Mother Theresa was a good woman’ ‘Euthanasia is right’ 1) What are the strengths and weaknesses of this theory?

6. Strengths: • Can be verified empirically • Non-negotiable, objectively true for all • Fits with theories such as Utilitarianism and Moral Law • Weaknesses: • Rigid • Does not take account of cultural differences • Does not account for individuality • It is too simple – it cannot cope with conflicting duties • Commits the naturalistic fallacy* • Still leaves us with an open ended question*

7. Criticism Criticising Naturalism - The Naturalistic Fallacy (Hume) Moore, drawing on the Naturalistic Fallacy developed by Hume criticised naturalism saying you cannot derive an ‘ought’ from an ‘is’

8. Is/Ought Fallacy • P1) Torture causes pain • C) Torture is wrong • The conclusion doesn’t follow from the premise • P1) Torture causes pain • P2) Pain is wrong • C) Torture is wrong Create your own argument

9. X is pleasurable, but is it good? • Y has taken an innocent life, but is it bad? Open question criticism Create your own argument

10. Intuitionism Desribe these pictures

11. What is ‘Yellow’?

12. Intuitionism If I am asked what is good? My answer is that good is good, and that is the end of the matter. (Moore, Principia Ethica) We know what yellow is and can recognise it whenever it is seen, but we cannot actually define yellow’.

13. Developments of Intuitionism H A Prichard Two types of thinking, reason and intuition. Reason looks at the facts, intuition decides what to do. He recognised that people have different morals, and suggested this is because some people have developed moral thinking further than others. Where there is a conflict of obligations, he simply says you have to decide which obligation is greater.

14. Developments of Intuitionism Ross Developed the ideas of Prichard. Prima Facie duties (duties of first sight) Make a list of strengths and weaknesses of intuitionism.

15. Strengths: • Morality is not dependent on the material world • It explains why different societies share moral values (such as murder is wrong) • It does not require a God as the source of absolute ethical principles • It explains the idea that human beings seem to have an innate moral sense • It allows for cultural/individual differences • Weaknesses: • Was developed to avoid the naturalistic fallacy, but the introduction of a non-empirical way of checking morality makes no more sense. • How can we be sure that our intuitions are correct? • How do we decide between our intuitions? • There is no link betweek what is right and what a person ought to do J.L Mackie. Tells you what you should do, but does not expect you to do it

16. Meta Ethics Cognitive Non-cognitive Work on your flow diagram.. Annotate outside your boxes using key words

17. 6 minutes In your own words, outline and evaluate one cognitivist theory. Those working at A-B, consider intuitionism Those working at C-B consider naturalism

18. An evil man • A good bomb • A wrong choice • A bad holiday Consider the following situationsGive an naturalist understanding of the following statements: