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20 May 2023

4 pages

Meta Ethics AQA A Level - Questions, Meanings, and More

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Poppy

@poppy_vyjp

Meta-ethics is a crucial component of meta ethics a level... Show more

-C
C
Meta Ethics
Types of ethis:
Descriptive ethics - describes and compares the ethical norms.
in different society's / time / culture.
Nor

Divine Command Theory

Divine Command Theory DCTDCT is a non-naturalist ethical theory that grounds morality in God's commands. This approach is particularly relevant for students studying divine command theory aqa meta ethics.

Key points of Divine Command Theory:

  1. Morality is based on God's commands, not natural properties
  2. What God commands is inherently good and should be obeyed
  3. Grounded in the belief that God is the creator and humans are made in God's image imagodeiimago dei
  4. Supported by theologians like Calvin and Barth

Definition: Divine Command Theory asserts that moral actions are those that align with God's will and commands.

Strengths of Divine Command Theory:

  • Provides a foundation for moral behavior based on religious teachings
  • Offers a universal standard for ethics
  • Presents God as a fair judge of moral actions

Weaknesses of Divine Command Theory:

  • Raises questions about the source and interpretation of God's commands
  • Faces the Euthyphro dilemma: Is something good because God commands it, or does God command it because it's good?
  • May limit human autonomy and free will

Example: The Bible's commands against stealing could be seen as a divine moral imperative under DCT.

-C
C
Meta Ethics
Types of ethis:
Descriptive ethics - describes and compares the ethical norms.
in different society's / time / culture.
Nor

Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism

Ethical Naturalism is a realist approach that grounds moral values in natural properties. Utilitarianism, a form of ethical naturalism, is particularly important for students studying ethical naturalism and utilitarianism aqa rs.

Key aspects of Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism:

  1. Moral values can be described using natural properties
  2. Ethics are grounded in facts about nature and human nature
  3. Utilitarian theories focus on maximizing happiness and minimizing pain

Bentham's Utilitarianism:

  • Pain and pleasure are the "sovereign masters" of humanity
  • Introduces the Hedonic calculus to measure pleasure and pain
  • Consequentialist approach to ethics

Mill's Utilitarianism:

  • Distinguishes between higher culturalcultural and lower physicalphysical pleasures
  • Emphasizes quality of life over quantity of pleasure
  • Considers the benefits of general moral rules developed over time

Vocabulary: Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges the morality of actions based on their outcomes or consequences.

Strengths of Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism:

  • Provides a factual basis for morality
  • Grounded in observable human nature
  • Offers a practical approach to ethical decision-making

Weaknesses:

  • Faces the naturalistic fallacy deriving"ought"from"is"deriving "ought" from "is"
  • May ignore minority interests in favor of majority happiness
  • Difficulty in measuring and comparing different types of pleasure or pain

Quote: "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." - John Stuart Mill

-C
C
Meta Ethics
Types of ethis:
Descriptive ethics - describes and compares the ethical norms.
in different society's / time / culture.
Nor

Intuitionism and Non-Naturalism

Intuitionism is a non-naturalist ethical theory that relies on moral intuitions to determine right and wrong. This approach is significant for students exploring moral non naturalism in their studies.

Key aspects of Intuitionism:

  1. Developed by G.E. Moore to avoid the naturalistic fallacy
  2. Moral facts are simple and unanalyzable, like the color yellow
  3. Knowledge of right and wrong comes from fundamental moral intuitions
  4. Moral intuitions are self-evident and don't need justification

Definition: Intuitionism asserts that moral truths are known through intuition rather than reason or empirical observation.

W.D. Ross's contribution:

  • Introduced the concept of prima facie duties
  • Moral intuition helps resolve conflicts between duties

Strengths of Intuitionism:

  • Acknowledges that everyone has moral intuitions
  • Solves the problem of conflicting definitions of good
  • Maintains a form of moral realism

Weaknesses:

  • Doesn't satisfactorily explain the origin of moral intuitions
  • May lead to moral relativism if intuitions vary between individuals or cultures

Example: The Trolley Problem is often used to illustrate how people intuitively choose between conflicting moral duties.

Comparison of Ethical Theories:

  1. Cognitive/Factual Theories: Ethical Naturalism e.g.,Utilitarianisme.g., Utilitarianism Ethical Non-Naturalism e.g.,Intuitionism,DivineCommandTheorye.g., Intuitionism, Divine Command Theory
  2. Non-Cognitive Theories: Emotivism Prescriptivism

Highlight: Understanding these different meta-ethical approaches is crucial for developing a comprehensive view of morality and ethical reasoning in meta ethics a level religious studies.

-C
C
Meta Ethics
Types of ethis:
Descriptive ethics - describes and compares the ethical norms.
in different society's / time / culture.
Nor

Meta-Ethics Overview

Meta-ethics is a branch of ethics that examines the nature and purpose of moral language, concepts, and reasoning. It explores fundamental questions about the meaning of ethical terms and the foundations of moral judgments. This field is crucial for students studying meta ethics aqa a level religious studies.

Key aspects of meta-ethics include:

  1. Types of ethics: Descriptive ethics: Compares ethical norms across societies and cultures Normative ethics: Determines how we ought to behave and what ethical norms to follow Applied ethics: Applies normative principles to specific areas like medical or legal ethics Meta-ethics: Considers questions about the nature of morality and ethical concepts
  2. Major ethical theories: Ethical Naturalism: Morality is factual and objective, based on natural properties Ethical Non-Naturalism: Morality is factual but not definable in natural terms Non-Cognitivism: Moral statements are not factual but expressions of emotions or preferences
  3. Divine Command Theory: A non-naturalist approach grounding morality in God's commands
  4. Utilitarianism: A naturalist theory focusing on maximizing happiness and minimizing pain
  5. Intuitionism: A non-naturalist theory based on moral intuitions and self-evident truths

Highlight: Meta-ethics is essential for developing a deeper understanding of moral reasoning and the foundations of ethical judgments.



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Stefan S

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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

 

Religious Studies

389

20 May 2023

4 pages

Meta Ethics AQA A Level - Questions, Meanings, and More

user profile picture

Poppy

@poppy_vyjp

Meta-ethics is a crucial component of meta ethics a level philosophy, exploring fundamental questions about morality and ethical concepts. This summary delves into various ethical theories and their implications for understanding right and wrong.

Key points:

  • Meta-ethics examines the... Show more

-C
C
Meta Ethics
Types of ethis:
Descriptive ethics - describes and compares the ethical norms.
in different society's / time / culture.
Nor

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Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

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Divine Command Theory

Divine Command Theory DCTDCT is a non-naturalist ethical theory that grounds morality in God's commands. This approach is particularly relevant for students studying divine command theory aqa meta ethics.

Key points of Divine Command Theory:

  1. Morality is based on God's commands, not natural properties
  2. What God commands is inherently good and should be obeyed
  3. Grounded in the belief that God is the creator and humans are made in God's image imagodeiimago dei
  4. Supported by theologians like Calvin and Barth

Definition: Divine Command Theory asserts that moral actions are those that align with God's will and commands.

Strengths of Divine Command Theory:

  • Provides a foundation for moral behavior based on religious teachings
  • Offers a universal standard for ethics
  • Presents God as a fair judge of moral actions

Weaknesses of Divine Command Theory:

  • Raises questions about the source and interpretation of God's commands
  • Faces the Euthyphro dilemma: Is something good because God commands it, or does God command it because it's good?
  • May limit human autonomy and free will

Example: The Bible's commands against stealing could be seen as a divine moral imperative under DCT.

-C
C
Meta Ethics
Types of ethis:
Descriptive ethics - describes and compares the ethical norms.
in different society's / time / culture.
Nor

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism

Ethical Naturalism is a realist approach that grounds moral values in natural properties. Utilitarianism, a form of ethical naturalism, is particularly important for students studying ethical naturalism and utilitarianism aqa rs.

Key aspects of Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism:

  1. Moral values can be described using natural properties
  2. Ethics are grounded in facts about nature and human nature
  3. Utilitarian theories focus on maximizing happiness and minimizing pain

Bentham's Utilitarianism:

  • Pain and pleasure are the "sovereign masters" of humanity
  • Introduces the Hedonic calculus to measure pleasure and pain
  • Consequentialist approach to ethics

Mill's Utilitarianism:

  • Distinguishes between higher culturalcultural and lower physicalphysical pleasures
  • Emphasizes quality of life over quantity of pleasure
  • Considers the benefits of general moral rules developed over time

Vocabulary: Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges the morality of actions based on their outcomes or consequences.

Strengths of Ethical Naturalism and Utilitarianism:

  • Provides a factual basis for morality
  • Grounded in observable human nature
  • Offers a practical approach to ethical decision-making

Weaknesses:

  • Faces the naturalistic fallacy deriving"ought"from"is"deriving "ought" from "is"
  • May ignore minority interests in favor of majority happiness
  • Difficulty in measuring and comparing different types of pleasure or pain

Quote: "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." - John Stuart Mill

-C
C
Meta Ethics
Types of ethis:
Descriptive ethics - describes and compares the ethical norms.
in different society's / time / culture.
Nor

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Intuitionism and Non-Naturalism

Intuitionism is a non-naturalist ethical theory that relies on moral intuitions to determine right and wrong. This approach is significant for students exploring moral non naturalism in their studies.

Key aspects of Intuitionism:

  1. Developed by G.E. Moore to avoid the naturalistic fallacy
  2. Moral facts are simple and unanalyzable, like the color yellow
  3. Knowledge of right and wrong comes from fundamental moral intuitions
  4. Moral intuitions are self-evident and don't need justification

Definition: Intuitionism asserts that moral truths are known through intuition rather than reason or empirical observation.

W.D. Ross's contribution:

  • Introduced the concept of prima facie duties
  • Moral intuition helps resolve conflicts between duties

Strengths of Intuitionism:

  • Acknowledges that everyone has moral intuitions
  • Solves the problem of conflicting definitions of good
  • Maintains a form of moral realism

Weaknesses:

  • Doesn't satisfactorily explain the origin of moral intuitions
  • May lead to moral relativism if intuitions vary between individuals or cultures

Example: The Trolley Problem is often used to illustrate how people intuitively choose between conflicting moral duties.

Comparison of Ethical Theories:

  1. Cognitive/Factual Theories: Ethical Naturalism e.g.,Utilitarianisme.g., Utilitarianism Ethical Non-Naturalism e.g.,Intuitionism,DivineCommandTheorye.g., Intuitionism, Divine Command Theory
  2. Non-Cognitive Theories: Emotivism Prescriptivism

Highlight: Understanding these different meta-ethical approaches is crucial for developing a comprehensive view of morality and ethical reasoning in meta ethics a level religious studies.

-C
C
Meta Ethics
Types of ethis:
Descriptive ethics - describes and compares the ethical norms.
in different society's / time / culture.
Nor

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Meta-Ethics Overview

Meta-ethics is a branch of ethics that examines the nature and purpose of moral language, concepts, and reasoning. It explores fundamental questions about the meaning of ethical terms and the foundations of moral judgments. This field is crucial for students studying meta ethics aqa a level religious studies.

Key aspects of meta-ethics include:

  1. Types of ethics: Descriptive ethics: Compares ethical norms across societies and cultures Normative ethics: Determines how we ought to behave and what ethical norms to follow Applied ethics: Applies normative principles to specific areas like medical or legal ethics Meta-ethics: Considers questions about the nature of morality and ethical concepts
  2. Major ethical theories: Ethical Naturalism: Morality is factual and objective, based on natural properties Ethical Non-Naturalism: Morality is factual but not definable in natural terms Non-Cognitivism: Moral statements are not factual but expressions of emotions or preferences
  3. Divine Command Theory: A non-naturalist approach grounding morality in God's commands
  4. Utilitarianism: A naturalist theory focusing on maximizing happiness and minimizing pain
  5. Intuitionism: A non-naturalist theory based on moral intuitions and self-evident truths

Highlight: Meta-ethics is essential for developing a deeper understanding of moral reasoning and the foundations of ethical judgments.

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Students love us — and so will you.

4.9/5

App Store

4.8/5

Google Play

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user