Moral philosophy discusses arguments for and against the existence of objective moral truth. Arguments for moral realism and cognitivism include that our experience of morality suggests there are moral truths we can make mistakes about, and that moral demands are independent of what we think. Arguments against non-cognitivism include that there must be objective moral truths in order for moral progress and knowledge to be possible. Moral values may also be seen as transcendent and existing outside of space and time, knowable through rational intuition similar to mathematical truths.

1. Moral Philosophy
MORAL TRUTH
DISCUSS ARGUMENTS FOR AND
AGAINST MORAL TRUTH

2. Key Concepts Definitions Illustrations
Cognitivism •The theory that knowledge •Abortion is wrong (based on beliefs to be either
Moral Realism •View we can have objective moral knowledge true or false)
•Good and bad are properties of situations and people •People are morally good or morally bad
•Right and wrong are properties of actions •Actions done from envy e.g. Sabotage
•Moral properties genuine part of the world •Teach children difference between right and
•Moral judgements depend on how the world is wrong
•Our experience of morality suggests there are moral truths •Answerable to a standard of behaviour that’s
•Feel we can make mistakes apart from our feelings
•Moral demands are independent of us; not determined by what we think
about it.
•Moral progress is possible
Non •The Theory that some specific type of claim doesn't assert a proposition
Cognitivism that can be either true or false; therefore there can be no knowledge of
that kind
•No moral knowledge as there is no objective moral truth
•Moral judgements are neither true or false, no moral knowledge
Normative •Relating to norms: rules or reasons for conduct or belief
Transcendent •Idea is distinct and different from the empirical world and in some way •Analogy with mathematical and moral truths
superior to it 2+2=4 true before came up with concept ‘2’& ‘4’
•Analogy with mathematical and moral truths what are numbers?
•Values are transcendent, outside space and time What are triangles? No such thing as a perfect
•Come to know them through using a form of rational intuition, e.g. triangle etc
Conscience, fallible but can be trained to be more accurate. Abstract objects- don't exist in a physical sense,
•Mathematical truths don't depend on our thought; they are objective and not in space and time, not concepts but what
independent of us concepts refer to.
Platonic Forms •Forms of moral values, justice, courage, kindness
•Exist outside space and time and are immutable
•Exist independently of us
•Universal values
•Types of perfection and empirical things such as human action/motives
exhibit moral values by partaking in the Forms
•Forms of everything
•Knowledge of forms requires complete reorientation of the mind
Elitism •Knowledge of the good requires a love of philosophy
•Difference between sight lovers and philosophers

3. So act that the maxim
of your will could
always hold at the
same time as a
principle in a giving of
universal law.