Metaethics studies moral judgments, analyzing their bases.
Metaethics is the part of ethics dedicated to the analysis of the origin of ethical principles . It is a discipline that focuses on moral values, considering whether they are absolute or relative, whether they have an existence independent of people, etc.
It can be said that metaethics reflects on moral judgments . It is responsible for carrying out, from philosophy , a study on what is defined as “bad” or “good” and on the bases of moral judgments.
Metaethics and moral judgments
Metaethics considers the problem of analyzing moral judgments from logic . It is important to keep in mind that it does not offer conclusions about what is correct and what is incorrect, but is oriented to the meaning of these judgments and their logical structure.
Therefore, although there are different ways of understanding metaethics, in general it is associated with the formal study of moral judgments beyond their content . In this framework, it investigates the objectivity and subjectivity of morality .
Differences with normative ethics
While normative ethics indicates what should be done, metaethics focuses its gaze on the ontological section and the relationship that exists between moral values and the objective scheme of reality .
In the field of metaethics it is possible to differentiate between two major theories . Realist theory maintains that moral values integrate the objective structure of reality: that is, they are independent of the mind. When describing reality, they can be evaluated as true or false. Antirealist theory , on the other hand, states that values do not make up this objective structure and, therefore, there is no moral knowledge.
Hume's Law
In the field of metaethics we can recognize some problems , such as Hume 's so-called law or guillotine, or also the problem of being and ought . Before continuing with its definition, we must cover two related concepts:
* descriptive sentences : they are those that express what the case is (for example, "mothers are affectionate");
* normative sentences : unlike the previous ones, they indicate what the case should be ("mothers should be affectionate").
Well, this problem of metaethics focuses on the potential deduction of normative sentences from descriptive ones. In this framework, the importance of a justification for each type of prayer also comes into play, as well as the path to achieve it. Descriptive statements are statements of reality, so that their truth could be proven through an investigation of the facts; The regulations, however, make this task more difficult.
Problem of moral luck
In this case, we are faced with an ethical problem that originates when the moral evaluation of an agent is believed to be adequate, although most of what awakens the need for such evaluation is linked to issues that are beyond his or her will . In other words, evaluating the morality of an act carried out consciously and with total control is not the same as one in which an individual is involved without having decided to participate in it.
Metaethics examines the origin of ethical principles.
This problem was formulated by two important philosophers: the American Thomas Nagel and the British Bernard Williams , in 1979 and 1981, respectively. There are three proposals to solve this problem:
* those who deny the existence of moral luck;
* those that accept it, but deny or restrict the impact of the control that the agent has over the situation;
* those that point out that it is not coherent to accept or deny its existence.