Introduction to meta-ethics: the meaning of right and wrong
Descriptive ethics – describes ethical practices in different times, places and cultures, without
making any judgement about these different practices.
Normative ethics – investigates the questions that arise when considering how we ought to behave.
Applied ethics – is the process of applying normative principles and arguments to particular
situations.
Meta-ethics – is ‘second-order’ ethical language. It examines what moral language is about, its origin
and cause, and how it can be justified.
Meta-ethical theories
Ethical naturalism – holds that morality is cognitive/factual; good is real, objective and in the
world. It is found in the facts of nature and human nature.
Ethical non-naturalism – holds that morality is cognitive/factual; good is real but cannot be
defined; it is intuited or revealed by a supernatural source.
Divine Command Theory
- Is a non-naturalist approach to ethics.
- Moral facts are not found in nature, but are revealed to us through scripture by a
supernatural source.
- Divine Command Theory is a religious rather than secular ethic.
- It is based on belief in the existence of a divine being, who is the source of ‘good’, and whose
moral commands are revealed through scripture and made clear by the Church.
- Many Protestants follow Divine Command Theory, believing that God’s will is the only true
source of moral authority.
o DCT argues that whatever God commands must be good, and whatever he forbids
must be evil.
o People should therefore act in a way that reflects God’s will.
o DCT is grounded in the belief that God is the Creator, and humans are made in God’s
image, so there must be a link between Creator and created. DCT is based both on
God’s commands and on His [Jesus’] ethical character.
o Calvin argued that there is nothing more sublime than God’s will, so whatever God
commands must be obeyed.
o For Barth, all questions about good and evil were settled by the death and
resurrection of Jesus.
Strengths:
For religious people, it grounds their moral behaviour in the teachings of a factually-
existing God whose commands must be good and promote good.
The rules are universal, so are the same in all times, places and cultures.
DCT is clear: ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘right’, ‘wrong’ are defined precisely by God’s commands.
There is an end-goal to following those commands, namely life after death.
God is a totally fair judge.
Descriptive ethics – describes ethical practices in different times, places and cultures, without
making any judgement about these different practices.
Normative ethics – investigates the questions that arise when considering how we ought to behave.
Applied ethics – is the process of applying normative principles and arguments to particular
situations.
Meta-ethics – is ‘second-order’ ethical language. It examines what moral language is about, its origin
and cause, and how it can be justified.
Meta-ethical theories
Ethical naturalism – holds that morality is cognitive/factual; good is real, objective and in the
world. It is found in the facts of nature and human nature.
Ethical non-naturalism – holds that morality is cognitive/factual; good is real but cannot be
defined; it is intuited or revealed by a supernatural source.
Divine Command Theory
- Is a non-naturalist approach to ethics.
- Moral facts are not found in nature, but are revealed to us through scripture by a
supernatural source.
- Divine Command Theory is a religious rather than secular ethic.
- It is based on belief in the existence of a divine being, who is the source of ‘good’, and whose
moral commands are revealed through scripture and made clear by the Church.
- Many Protestants follow Divine Command Theory, believing that God’s will is the only true
source of moral authority.
o DCT argues that whatever God commands must be good, and whatever he forbids
must be evil.
o People should therefore act in a way that reflects God’s will.
o DCT is grounded in the belief that God is the Creator, and humans are made in God’s
image, so there must be a link between Creator and created. DCT is based both on
God’s commands and on His [Jesus’] ethical character.
o Calvin argued that there is nothing more sublime than God’s will, so whatever God
commands must be obeyed.
o For Barth, all questions about good and evil were settled by the death and
resurrection of Jesus.
Strengths:
For religious people, it grounds their moral behaviour in the teachings of a factually-
existing God whose commands must be good and promote good.
The rules are universal, so are the same in all times, places and cultures.
DCT is clear: ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘right’, ‘wrong’ are defined precisely by God’s commands.
There is an end-goal to following those commands, namely life after death.
God is a totally fair judge.
