Naturalism, Non-Naturalism and Intuitionism

Overview

Recall questions on naturalism and utilitarian definitions of right and wrong, the naturalistic fallacy and Moore's open question argument, and non-naturalism and intuitionism with the problem of conflicting intuitions.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   Define naturalism in meta-ethics.

   Model answer

   The view that moral properties can be reduced to or identified with natural properties.

2. 2

   How does utilitarianism, as a form of naturalism, define 'right' and 'wrong'?

   Model answer

   Actions are 'right' insofar as they produce pleasure, and 'wrong' insofar as they produce pain.

3. 3

   What natural property does utilitarianism identify with moral goodness?

   Model answer

   Pleasure or happiness.

4. 4

   What strength does naturalism have regarding the verification of moral claims?

   Model answer

   It makes moral claims empirically verifiable by linking them to observable natural facts.

5. 5

   What advantage does utilitarian naturalism offer for moral decision-making?

   Model answer

   It provides a clear criterion for moral decision-making based on consequences.

6. 6

   What is the naturalistic fallacy, and why is it a weakness of naturalism?

   Model answer

   The naturalistic fallacy is the attempt to define moral terms using non-moral, natural properties; it is a weakness because it conflates distinct categories of 'is' and 'ought'.

Other ways to work this

The same content, four other ways.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.