PPT-Prescriptivism Michael Lacewing

enquiriesalevelphilosophycouk Cognitivism vs noncognitivism What are we doing when we make moral judgments Cognitivism moral judgments eg Murder is wrong Aim to describe how the world is. Prescriptivism Theories of what morality is fall into two broad families – cognitivism and non - cognitivism. The distinction is now understood by philosophers to depend on whether one think Michael Lacewing. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Descartes on clear and distinct ideas. Clear and distinct ideas can be known to be true. Clear: Present, accessible to the attentive mind. Michael Lacewing. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. On doubt and certainty. The foundations of knowledge: avoid believing anything that is not certain and indubitable. Method of doubt: Question beliefs to know how one can know they are true. If not certain, set it aside.. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Am I a brain in a vat?. Knowledge is not belief (even true belief). Are my reasons for my beliefs sufficient for knowledge?. Maybe all my experiences are fed to me by a supercomputer. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. The good. ‘What is the good for human beings?’. . What . is it that we are aiming . at?. What. . would provide a successful, fulfilling, good life. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Stealing. Steal: . to take someone else’s property with no intention of returning it and without their permission (or without the legal right to do so. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. (c) Michael Lacewing. Hedonist act utilitarianism. Actions . are morally right or wrong depending on their consequences and nothing else. An act is right if it maximises what is good.. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Utilitarianism. A. ct . utilitarianism:. . an action is right if it . maximises. happiness, and wrong if it does not. . I. f . telling a lie creates more happiness than telling the truth (or keeping silent), then telling a lie is morally right. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. (c) Michael Lacewing. Cognitivism v. non-cognitivism. What are we doing when we. make moral judgments?. Cognitivism: moral judgments, e.g. ‘Murder is wrong’. Aim to describe how the world is. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Metaethics. What is morality, philosophical speaking?. Can ethical claims be objectively true or false?. Are moral properties part of reality?. Cognitivism: moral judgments, e.g. ‘Murder is wrong’. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Idealism. Idealism: everything that exists is a mind or dependent on a . mind. Berkeley: . to . be is to be perceived (or to perceive): . esse est percipi . enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing . What do we perceive?. Direct realism: we perceive physical objects, which exist independent of our experience. Physical objects existed before minds. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. (c) Michael Lacewing. N. on. -. cognitivism and anti-realism. What are we doing when we. make moral judgments?. Non. -cognitivism: moral judgments. Do not aim to describe the world. enquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk. © Michael Lacewing. Simulated killing. The dramatisation, i.e. enactment, . of killing within a fictional context, e.g. in video games, films and . plays. Playing the killer.