In this chapter, we will explore some of the questions that baffled many metaethicists since time immemorial. An introduction to natural philosophy, charles collins, 1844, 341. The range of issues, puzzles and questions that fall within metaethics purview are consistently abstract. Nov 20, 2014 in this video, i briefly explain the main positions in metaethics. Download pdf moral psychology a contemporary introduction. These puzzles involve moral disagreement, reference, moral epistemology, metaphysics, and moral psychology. My initial hope when i first saw millers book was that here at least would be a work which satisfies the long standing need for a comprehensive introduction to contemporary metaethics. This new edition of alexander millers highly readable introduction to contemporary metaethics provides a critical overview of the main arguments and themes in twentieth and twentyfirstcentury contemporary metaethics. Consequentialist theories on the other hand determine the value of an action on the grounds of a costbenefit analysis of its consequences. Miller, alexander, an introduction to contemporary metaethics.
Metathetics is less concerned with what practices are right or wrong than with what we mean by right and wrong. An introduction presents a clear and engaging survey of the key concepts and positions in what has become one of the most exciting and influential fields of philosophy. Download pdf what is this thing called ethics free. An introduction has taught me enough about metaethics and metaethical concepts to enable me to think in terms of metaethical language.
An introduction to contemporary metaethics alexander miller. Many people break the field of ethics into three subfields. Of course, one can inform the other, but its important not to confuse the two. Dimensions may well become the standard intermediate text in ethics courses. Free from technicality and jargon, this book covers the main ideas that have shaped metaethics from the work of g. Fortythree chapters, all written exclusively for this volume, provide expert introductions to. This handbook surveys the contemporary state of the burgeoning field of metaethics. First, we must distinguish the study of ethics or morality from the anthropology of moral belief and practice. This introduction provides a highly readable critical overview of the main arguments and themes in twentiethcentury and contemporary metaethics. An introduction presents a very clear and engaging survey of the key concepts and positions in what has become one of the most exciting and influential fields of philosophy. From there, author mark van roojen discusses the many.
An introduction to contemporary metaethics provides for the first time a critical survey of famous figures in 20th century metaethics together with indepth discussions of contemporary philosophers and will be an invaluable resource for students, teachers and professional philosophers with interests in contemporary metaethics. If the positive consequences outweigh the negative ones then the action is morally proper. Nonetheless, to the extent these questions turn on what responsibility presupposes and whether those presuppositions are for instance compatible with determinism, one is squarely in metaethics. Metaethics is the study of the fundamental nature and justification for moral rules and judgements. Nor does it attempt to develop a framework to determine morality, like normative ethics. In this introduction to the discipline written explicitly for novices, leslie allan outlines the key questions and areas of analysis in contemporary metaethics. An introduction to contemporary metaethics download. The euthyphro question asks whether gods will or morality comes first. With boxed case studies, discussion questions and further reading included within each chapter this textbook is the ideal introduction to ethics for philosophy students coming to the subject for the first time. Introduction to ethics in the world today, we are in the throes of a giant ethical leap that is essentially embracing all of humankind donahue, 1996, p. It traces the development of contemporary debates in metaethics from their beginnings in the work of g. Pdf this article represents the current state of debate on the wide range of issues discussed in moral philosophy. Metaethics, the subdiscipline of ethics concerned with the nature of ethical theories and moral judgments. As well as introducing the central ideas that relate to environmental and development ethics and how these two areas of ethical study interare related, this unit shows why ethics as a discipline can.
An introduction by andrew fisher is commendably wellwritten. An introduction to contemporary metaethics download ebook. Metaethics from a first person standpoint addresses in a novel format the major topics and themes of contemporary metaethics, the study of the analysis of moral thought and judgement. This is a very well structured guide to contemporary metaethics. Introduction to ethical studies an open source reader lee archie. Free from technicality and jargon, the book covers the main ideas that have shaped metaethics from the work of g. In a work free of technical language and jargon, andrew fisher covers the main ideas that have shaped metaethics from the work of g. My focus is metaethics, so ill discuss the anthropology of moral belief and practice only when it is relevant for making points about metaethics. Introduction to ethical studies an open source reader lee archie john g. Miller, alexander, an introduction to contemporary metaethics, oxford. An introduction, 2nd edition first, despite its grounding in history, millers book isnt intended as a history introductio twentiethcentury metaethical thought.
When i say i think i can solve some of metaethics, what exactly is it that i think i can solve. My initial hope when i first saw millers book was that here at least would be a work which satisfies the long standing need for a comprehensive introduction to. Jun 02, 2017 this is an introduction to metaethics and the various views within this branch of philosophy. For my mother and father, john and isabella an introduction.
Realist theories explain ethics in terms of some realm that is independent of individual and group preferences. Click download or read online button to get an introduction to contemporary metaethics book now. There is a very short and useful introduction which positions the main metaethical theories, but after that it gets into tight argument quickly. They reflect the fact that metaethics involves an attempt to step back from particular substantive debates within morality to ask about the views, assumptions, and commitments that are shared by those who engage in the debate.
This new edition of alexander miller s highly readable introduction to contemporary metaethics provides a critical overview of the main arguments and themes in. Introduction metaethics is a philosophical inquiry into the metaphysicalcumsemantic and epistemologicalcumlogical commitments and presuppositions of our moral judgments. Instead, it explores philosophy about language, definitions, and the nature of morality. Moore up to the most recent arguments between naturalism and nonnaturalism, cognitivism and. Click download or read online button to get contemporary metaethics book now. Prerequisites, target audience and course goals this course is designed for students who have taken at least one prior philosophy class this is a prerequisite of taking the class, but who are new to metaethics specifically. An introduction to contemporary metaethics online ebook. This is an introduction to metaethics and the various views within this branch of philosophy. Contemporary metaethics download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. Jun 18, 2019 this introduction provides a highly readable critical overview of the main arguments and themes in twentiethcentury and contemporary metaethics. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. An introduction 2nd revised edition, alexander miller, this new edition of alexander millers highly readable introduction to contemporary metaethics provides a critical overview of the main arguments and themes in twentieth and twentyfirstcentury contemporary metaethics.
This unit provides an introduction to the study of ethics and a brief overview of some of the main branches of philosophical thought about ethics. An introduction to contemporary metaethics alexander. Notes to metaethics stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. If gods will comes first, then morality is whatever god wills as good and right. A contemporary introduction provides a solid foundation in metaethics for advanced undergraduates by introducing a series of puzzles that most metaethical theories address. In this video, i briefly explain the main positions in metaethics. Major metaethical theories include naturalism, nonnaturalism or intuitionism, emotivism, and. In this area, the theory tells a story about the psychological and social functions of ethics. Jacobs offers a clear, cohesive, and accessible examination of the often mysterious, yet critical content of ethical theory, falling under the rubrics of metaethics epistemological, metaphysical, and semanticand moral psychology, which details the major positions and supporting arguments while tracing their. Contemporary metaethics download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
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