Metaethics

Moral Realism: This is the view that certain moral propositions are objectively true, independent of subjective opinions or cultural beliefs.

Moral Anti-Realism: This is the view that there are no objective moral truths and that morality is purely a matter of opinion.

Moral Nihilism: This is the view that there is no moral value or meaning in the universe.

Moral Subjectivism: This is the view that moral statements are true or false based on individual moral preferences or cultural norms.

Moral Relativism: This is the view that moral truths are relative to culture, time, and place.

Moral Absolutism: This is the view that certain moral principles or values are universally true regardless of cultural differences.

Moral Skepticism: This is the view that we cannot know whether or not there are any objective moral truths.

Fitting Attitudes Theory: This is the view that moral statements are true or false based on how we ought to feel about them.

Ethical Pluralism: This is the view that there are multiple, equally valid moral frameworks that can be applied to different situations.

Error Theory: This is the view that moral statements are neither true nor false because they do not refer to anything in reality.

Moral Relativism: The view that moral judgments are relative to a culture or individual, meaning that what is considered ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ depends on the opinions and norms of a particular group or individual.

Moral Realism: The belief that moral facts exist independent of human beliefs or attitudes. Realists hold that moral statements can express truths that are independent of subjective feelings or opinions.

Moral Non-Naturalism: The idea that moral properties, such as ‘goodness’, ‘rightness’, and ‘moral obligation’, are non-natural and cannot be reduced to natural or physical properties.

Moral Naturalism: The position that moral properties are reducible to natural or physical properties. It holds that moral judgments are based on facts about the natural world, such as human needs, desires, and flourishing.

Emotivism: The view that moral judgments are simply expressions of emotions or attitudes. Emotivists argue that moral statements are not factual claims and cannot be objectively true or false.

Intuitionism: The belief that moral knowledge can be accessed through intuition, or by the direct apprehension of moral truths that are self-evident or intuitively obvious.

Error Theory: The idea that all moral statements are false due to the lack of objective basis for the existence of moral facts. Error theorists claim that moral beliefs and judgments are based on false assumptions and there is no objective basis for moral values.

Prescriptivism: The view that moral judgments are prescriptive, meaning that they advocate for certain actions or behaviors rather than describe them. Prescriptivists hold that moral statements express commands or imperatives that should be followed.

Contractualism: The belief that moral principles are the result of a social agreement or contract among individuals. It maintains that moral obligations are based on common agreement and mutual benefit, rather than on objective standards or natural laws.