Moral Theory

Moral Philosophy

• Is the study of the values and guidelines by which we live, as well as the justification of these values and guidelines

• Two traditional subdivisions of Moral Philosophy: Normative Ethics (Applied Ethics) and Theoretical Ethics (Moral reasoning –justification )

Purpose of Moral Theories

• A theory is a conceptual framework for explaining a set of facts or concepts

• The theory explains why a certain action is wrong and why we act in certain ways

• The theory helps us clarify, critically analyze and rank the moral concerns

• A good theory offers guidance or signposts for thinking about and resolving moral issues

Types of Moral Theories

• Ethical Relativism – morality is invented or created by people

Ethical Subjectivism

“What I feel is right is right; What I feel is wrong is wrong.”

Cultural Relativism

“We recognize that morality differs in every society, and is a convenient term for socially approved habits”

• Universalist or objectivist Moral Theory –holds that there are fundamental, objective moral principles and values that are universally true for all people, independent of their personal beliefs or culture.

- The Divine Command Theory

- Natural Law Theory