Ethical Language

Ethical Language:

• The problem of ethical language is that because of meta-ethics basic terms can become meaningless for example 'good' and 'bad' or right or 'wrong'
• What is the meaning of moral terms?
• What is the nature of moral judgements?
• How can moral judgements be supported or defended?

Naturalism: F. H. Bradley 

• He belived that morality comes from self-realisation and knowing where you are in society. 
• He rejected hedonism (persuit of pleasure) because it does not aid self-understanding
• We must adopt the morals of our society because that is how we discover ourselves. 
• To be a good person we must know our station and the duties that come with that. 

Criticisms 

• It does not allow for ethical dispute. If the majority feel that something is good then they must be right and therefore it shuts doen any oppersition. 

"We have found self-realisation, duty and happiness in one"

The Naturalistic Fallacy: G.E. Moore

• He believed that ethics it is not possible to derive what is good from what brings about pleasure.
• Argued that pleasure is not goodness. 
• An ethical idea is not a fact. Just because some people believe that something is good doesn't make it true

Intuitionism: G.E. Moore

• Belief that inside of us there is a moral sense of right or wrong.
• Inspired by Aristotle
• Ethical values do not need defining becausr they are…