Ethical thinking

- There are logical problems with subjectivism Eg.

- Though, Liberalists believe there are ‘objective’ values that different social groups will accept in their own way

• Subjectivism

- Similar to relativism but believes that moral values are subjective not objective.

• Intuitionism & Self Interest

- Powers that we already have that enable us to reveal objective moral truths

- There are few ethical principles that require no proof

- Self- interest is not a proper basis for ethical beliefs

Ethical Psychology

• In reality, no individual beliefs will ever be completely rational

• Therefore, we must consider ethical psychology

• Ethics are influenced by external environment

• We internalize external social values.

- That is, ethics would be subject to individual interpretation. If doing ‘good’ is doing god’s will, how do we know what God’s will is? This is determined by conflicting interpretations of the bible. I believe killing is wrong (This really means) I don’t approve of killing (Therefore) I think you should disapprove of killing

- Ideally this theory would be true if we were impartial to everybody else’s beliefs, then our moral feelings might help us to determine what is right.

• Supernaturalism

- The belief in something above and beyond what is natural

- There are logical problems with supernaturalism Eg. But what is right? Just because something ‘ought’ to be right, does not mean that it ‘is’ right. Otherwise if actions are ‘good’ because God desires them to be ‘good’, ethics would be arbitrary.

• Eg children absorb moral values from parents to give us identity

Religion & Science: ideological justifications of immorality

• Religion has been used as a psychological justification for acts of cruelty including killing or violence eg terrorist attacks

• Science has been used as a psychological justification to defend theories eg Darwin’s survival of the fittest, strong survive & weak perish

Justifications for immorality

- Variations of 3 themes:

• Denial

• To accept that short term suffering is necessary for long term happiness

• Acknowledge that the world is more or less corrupt than it could be and circumstances will not change

- Manipulate religion and science to justify immoral behaviour or immoral acts

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- This requires moral insight to interpret texts in the first place. People will always disagree and not all beliefs can really be true. es:

“Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12)

Standard Arguments of Metaethics

• Ethical Relativism

- Ethical relativism = individuals who develop their own values based on their own personal circumstances, that will be respected by other people

- BUT, just because a social group believes something is ‘right,’ does not mean that it is right.