LAWS398 Legal Ethics

Introduction

Meta-ethical theories are a branch of philosophy that are analytical in nature. The different meta-ethical theories are concerned with the evaluation of foundations , status and scopes of morality in terms of properties, words and values. Metaethical theories concentrates on the subject of morality itself unlike the approach of applied ethical theories. Metaethical theories are essential for the evaluation of moral accounts by various theorists. The making of appropriate decisions and moral judgment to guide actions.  There are three broad categories of metaphysical fundamentals namely Cognitivism, Non-Cognitivism and Centralism and Non-Centralism (Bagnoli, C. 2011). Cognitivism allows for the provision of a statement of moral concern to be right or wrong and proposes for evaluation unlike non-cognitivism. Ethical naturalism is a part of Moral realism which concentrates on the factual objective features of the nature or world around. Ethical naturalism propositions that moral judgment are either true or false and there are fixed properties of morality and are naturally occurring. however naturalism attempts to relate things in a realistic approach on determination of the circumstances and the underlying conditions. I argue that naturalism is one of the more relative metaphysical theories as it promotes the inquiry of the natural world and connects it to the attainment of moral knowledge as well as increasing scientific understanding however does not connect inherent good or bad to the properties. Morality is presented as measurable facts of the nature and is confirmable. In this discussion the various aspects of naturalism and its association with approach to various subject matter shall be discussed with examples (Miller, 2014). The discussion shall consists of all the factors that makes naturalism a plausible theory among the others. The criticism shall be considered and the relative viability shall also be established

Discussion

An overview of Ethical Naturalism is presented in this section of the discussion. Naturalistic Ethics has several branches, still they have a major factor in common, and the Natural Meta-ethic recognizes nature as the prime force of guidance to our lives. The people who practice or follow naturalistic ethic are called the Naturalists. Naturalists are the person who intends to recognize and hoe the nature correlates with humanity. Naturalism is also known by different terms like naturalistic cognitivistic definism or moral naturalism (Sayre-McCord, 2007). The meta-ethical view claims that proportions are expressed ethical sentences. Few of these proportions are believed to be true. These proportions are believed to be true by the features of the world that are objective and independent of the opinion of human. In this essay we will discuss about the basics of ethical naturalism and argue on the ways through which science can enhance our understanding of morality. Various examples of ethical naturalism will be stated to support the context. The illustration of the understanding of morality through science will also be made.

In this section the defination of the naturalism and its implication shall be discussed. Naturalism is a part of the theory of meta-ethics which says the definition of the ethical terms can be defined where the meanings can be derived at the most non-ethical and terms. The ethical sentences always express an idea, a plan, and an offer called propositions these sentences can also be further understood through non ethical explanations or sentences.  The ethical naturalism which is non-reductive considers that moral properties cannot be reduced to non-moral properties (Hacker-Wright, 2012). The statements of the ethics can be further abridged into natural science. The questions of the ethics are answered based on these sciences completely. Several forms with differences emerge from ethical naturalism. The expression of the theory regarding ethical naturalism is considered one of the biggest difficulties as there are various types of definition of nature or natural or law of nature. The natural properties of reduction of ethical properties, the goodness of an action can be defined through conformity according to the proper function of the thing as described in notion of Stoic work, “activities which are consequential upon a thing’s nature.” This can be represented as an example of ethical naturalism. The values of ethic hold a different property and cannot be reduced by the study of physical science but the possibility of the study remains with social science. On the same prospective, nihilist can be considered as a kind of ethical naturalist. The theory of Nihilism has a complete absence of moral facts, moral truths or any moral knowledge. The nihilism believes that there is no significance of life while death being the ultimate end of the process. This theory opposes the existence of traditional values which includes moral truths as well. The morality is considered as the superstitious remains of religion by some nihilists (Rysiew, 2016).

The various application to various context in terms of Naturalism shall be explored. On relating religious mortality to science it is considered as fragile. The religious carries a common idea that the mortality has no point if the death of the universe is for sure, then the existence of everything will also be finished including us. G.E. Moore described an important philosophical objection to ethical naturalism as naturalistic fallacy. As per him, the determination of natural property to be good can derived from the question of goodness, arguably. The actual goodness might not be correlated to the proper functions of an individual. If they were relatable, the definition of goodness might differ (Brink, 2014). The scientific literacy can improve morality of ours when discussing about the area that be improvised through science. The better and broader understanding of science would result in informing our moral IQ. The science has let us understand more of the genetics through which the knowledge of mind diseases is known. Some examples of mind diseases are manic depression, post traumatic stress disorder, bi-polar and panic disorder. It also has let us know of the various imbalances of chemicals through which the odd behaviors of someone cannot be mistaken to be possessed (Laskowski, & Finlay, 2017). The study of genetics by science has helped the understanding of morality in a better way, giving us a better knowledge about the way of people. Therefore it can be considered that morality progress is attached to scientific progress.  

To justify the possibility of a sustainable ethical naturalism the consideration of a separate moral realm and its existence in terms of moral phenomenon is to be examined and I strongly disagree with the same. In the context of social concerns, the naturalistic approach that I find most plausible is of reductionist orientation (Hughes, 2009). The presence of moral discourse that are fixed to categories and implications of right, good, bad and wrongs is acceptable to me. However, the emerging moral perspectives are not considered to be irreducible by me. They are frequently used to select phenomenon of biological, physical, psychological and sociological depictions (Ward, A. 2009). The reductionist stance that I defend don't correspond to the emerging moral principles as irreducible to the existing natural world. Moral orientations and ethical approach concentrates on the worldly features defined by naturalistic terms sharing same features as non-moral terms.

Analysis of the standing of the reductionist approach is discussed. In a study by Lawson the concept of judgment of interest and assessments of facts is taken into account along with moral association to subjects . If a house is on fire occupied by an individual alone. The most naturalistic approach would be to leave the house in consideration of the survival of the individuals (Moosavi, P. 2019).

Nitetzsche and Freud are two of the theorist influenced by ethical naturalism theory by accounting the functioning of the human mind to naturalistic accounts. Unlike other proponents of the theory the two philosophers based their accounts on the working of the mind and the dynamics of conflicts associated with the unconscious state and explained and linked them to the development and formation  of conscience and moral tendencies, rather the associative principles. Freud influenced the associate sub sequential thoughts on this principle to associate morality with human culture (Lawson, 2014) . The application of naturalism on social science and philosophy by Freud is a significant contribution to Naturalism.

The strengths and weakness of the Naturalism theories shall be assessed in the following sections. Some of the advantages of naturalism are the moral orientation are factual statement and are universally applicable, the base of naturalism approach is nature and is unanimous for everyone It corroborates strong guidelines in the multidisciplinary approach and is applicable to all disciplines. Some of the disadvantages include the lack of cultural differences and the simplistic element of the philosophy (Clark, 2016). Objective basis of attribution is not allowed rather wrong or right is subjective. Ethical evidences of  the moral conditions and terminologies are absent.   

In this section the various criticism in respect to the Naturalism theory and the fallacy of the theories shall be examined. There are also sufficient criticism on the aspects of Ethical Naturalism in terms of the definition of the intrinsic natural property and its assessment through senses, experiment and observation or deducible science.  The critics point out that the vary definition of the natural property is undefined and not fixed. Considering an example on an open discussion by philosopher G. E. Moore, the term good cannot be measured through the attribution of natural properties nor can it be implied to have supernatural terms which lead to the formulation of Ethical Non-Naturalism (Schechter, J 2017).

There is counterargument as pointed by Oliver Curry that the values are the expression of intrinsic natural desire of an individual that is aimed at the common good of the society. The various development in the biological and life sciences like the evolutionary biology, animal behavior, game theory and the development of the neuroscience , the scientific basis of the desires are understood. This is in conjugation to the human approach of philosophy and psychology in terms of moral considerations. This approach is followed by handful philosophers due to the skepticism on the naturalist fallacy . However on inspection and close evaluation of the various principles of the fallacy it can be clearly determined that they are hardly impediments in the plausibility of the theory (Curry, 2006). The development of behavioral and evolutionary aspects and recent advancements of the neuroscience suggests the presence of altruistic phenomenon, coordination, symbiotic relation, kin altruism aggregation in groups for mutual benefit , practice of labor division, sharing, settling disputes amicably, communication proves that the intrinsic disposition towards positive tendencies and desires. In the study all the eight fallacies are considered and defended as a non barriers to the philosophy of meta-ethical naturalism and can be defended by Humean-Darwinian Ethical naturalism concept (Gorski, 2013).   

Conclusion

Naturalism focuses on the assertion of moral values and approach through factual evidence.   Through this concept any action can be assessed as good or bad. Though good cannot be defined as absolute but in subjective terms definition of good can be employed through various approach like for instance the statement ascertaining leading a good life can have varied perception and meaning of good and cannot be determined by fixed factual attributions nor supernatural implications. But scientific evaluation of the subject might explain that maintaining a healthy lifestyle, being independent and involving in physical activity, is leading a good life and thus a moral obligation to living a good live implies leading a healthy life. Another implication can be explained through the case of incest as determination of an immoral stand as through scientific analysis it has been determined that closely related partners produce genetically defective children. the children shall suffer from various health complications due to the possibly unique choice of the parents. This inconsideration of the outcomes to justify the morality of incest shall constitute a bad moral approach. The various aspects and factors of naturalism has been discussed and defended with explanation of my personal argument To conclude I align with the reductionist approach of the ethical naturalism.

References

Bagnoli, C. (2011). Constructivism in metaethics.

Brink, D. O. (2014). Principles and Intuitions in Ethics: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. Ethics, 124(4), 665-694.

Clark, K. J. (2016). Naturalism and its discontents. The blackwell companion to naturalism, 1-15.

Curry, O. (2006). Who's afraid of the naturalistic fallacy?. Evolutionary Psychology, 4(1), 147470490600400120.

Gorski, P. S. (2013). Beyond the fact/value distinction: ethical naturalism and the social sciences. Society, 50(6), 543-553.

Hacker-Wright, J. (2012). Ethical naturalism and the constitution of agency. The Journal of Value Inquiry, 46(1), 13-23.

Hughes, L. (2009). Wittgenstein and Ethical Inquiry (A Defense of Ethics as Clarification)-By J. Jeremy Wisnewski. Philosophical Investigations, 32(3), 285-289.

Laskowski, N. G., & Finlay, S. (2017). Conceptual analysis in metaethics.

Lawson, T. (2014). Critical ethical naturalism: An orientation to ethics. In Social ontology and modern economics (pp. 375-403). Routledge.

Miller, A. (2014). Contemporary metaethics: an introduction. John Wiley & Sons.

Moosavi, P. (2019). From biological functions to natural goodness.

Rysiew, P. (2016). Naturalism in epistemology.

Sayre-McCord, G. (2007). Metaethics.

Schechter, J. (2017). Explanatory challenges in metaethics. In The Routledge handbook of metaethics (pp. 443-458). Routledge.

Ward, A. (2005). Defending ethical naturalism: The roles of cognitive science and pragmatism. Zygon®, 40(1), 201-220.

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