AS Revision - Foundation Paper

Here is a list of what you need to know for the AS Ethics exams (Foundation paper, main paper to follow):

Foundation Paper

Meta-Ethics
Be able to compare meta-ethics with normative ethics.

Naturalism - FH Bradley (Ethical Studies, 1876)
Intuitionism - GE Moore (Principia Ethica, 1903)
Emotivism - AJ Ayer (Language, Truth and Logic, 1936)
Prescriptivism - RM Hare (The Language of Morals, 1952)

Can we scientifically prove rightness or wrongness?
Where do we gain our sense of right and wrong?
Are moral statements linked to actions or just feelings?
Does morality have a rational basis?

Moral Relativism
Situationism - J Fletcher (Situation Ethics, 1966)
The belief that moral truth varies depending on culture, religion, time, place ...
Fletcher - right choice: produces the most loving consequence in that particular situation.
Flexible ... subjective ... how do we know what is the most loving thing to do?

Virtue Ethics
Aristotle (Nichomachean Ethics, 4th century BCE)
What are the qualities that make someone good?
Do our actions indicate our virtues and vices?
Eudaimonia - the ultimate end or happiness, reached by practising virtuous behaviour.
Virtues: courage, temperance, liberality, munificence, high-mindedness, right ambition, good temper, civility, sincerity, wittiness, modesty, just resentment.
Find a Golden Mean between extremes of excessiveness or deficiency.
Alasdair MacIntyre (After Virtue, 1981): our society has lost track of these values.
Encompasses all parts of human life ... duty to act virtuously ... what should we do if virtues conflict?

Natural Law
Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica, 1273)
Influenced by Aristotle: 'The natural is that which everywhere is equally valid."
Divine law as opposed to human law.
Law is in scripture, but can be deducted using reason.
We must act in a way that is in accordance with God's purpose for humanity.
Five precepts: to preserve life, reproduce, educate children, live in society, worship God.
Intention and act are both important.
Catholic teaching influenced by Natural Law.
Provides communities with clear common rules.
Simplistic to say there is a single human purpose.
Does not take into account consequences of actions.

Go through the list - colour code them using a traffic light system: red if you really don't know, amber if you are unsure, green if you feel confident.

Make sure you know the strengths and weaknesses of each Theory, so you can evaluate them.