IntrotoMetaethics.md

Introduction

Metaethics is not about normative ethics

It is not telling us how we should behave

Metaethics is second order displine of ethics

Metaethics is the systematic analysis of :

1. Moral Language
2. Moral Psychology
3. Moral ontology

Metaethics is hard

1. because it depends on other philosophy such as:

   • philosophy of mind
   • Philosophy of Language
   • Epistemology
   • Phenomenology
   • Logic
   • Philosophy of art

2. and subjects such as

   • Psychology

Terminology

1. Moral Realism

   Ontological claim: Moral properties exist and response-independent

   1. Misconceptions:

      1. Doesn't mean non-naturalism/naturalism: It doens't make u a thiest
      2. Doesn't mean mind-independent: It might be true that moral exists only when mind/moral-agent exists
      3. Doesn't mean they have a framework of applied/normative ethics: self-explainatory
      4. Properties and facts are distinct (What ?)

2. Moral non-realism

   There are no moral properties or facts Includes: quasi-realism, anti-realism, error-theory and irrealism

   1. Misconceptions:

      1. Doesn't mean There are no moral truth: Unless they think a claim is true iff there are facts/properties to make it true
      2. They can be a cognitvist.

3. Moral Cognitivism

   Moral claim are an expression of beliefs and have truth-aptness(it can be true or false)

   1. Misconceptions:

      1. Doesn't mean moral claims can be true. They can be all false

4. Non-Cognitivism

   Moral claim are expressions a non-belief state (example: emotions) "Boo! Killing"

   1. Misconceptions

      1. Doesn't mean moral claim are about mental states "Killing is wrong" = "Boo! Killing " $\neq$ "I hate killing" because "I hate killing" can be true or false.

5. Naturalism vs Non-naturalism

   Natrualism believes everything that exists are scientifics picture of what exists (what is science ?) Non-naturalism thinks there is more.

   1. Misconceptions

      1. Non-natrualist is not equal to God/ghost exists
      2. Not related to moral realism/non-realism
         • naturalist + non-realism: If moral properties/facts DID exists, it will be natural properties/facts
         • Non-naturalist + non-realism: God exists and it doesn't have to do with moral properties/facts.

6. Motivation Internalism

   Moral judgement are motivational by themselves. It is impossible to make a judgement and remain unmotivated to follow it.

   1. Misconceptions

      1. Motivations doesn't mean action: I might be motivated to eat less meat but I didn't actually do it
      2. Doesn't mean true judgement motivates: Only there is a necessary link between moral judgement (true or false) and motivation
      3. Doesn't mean judgement related reason of actions.

7. Motivation externalism

   Moral judgement doesn't necessary induce motivations. It is contingent on the psychological states of the agent

   1. Misconceptions

      1. Not saying they are random. It could be true that judgement motivates people most of the time, only not necessarily