3 GENERAL SUBJECTS AREAS OF ETHICS

 META ETHICS- a branch of ethics that study the nature of morality it talks about the meaning,
reference and truth values of moral judgments.

CLARIFICATION OF META ETHICS

1. Cognitivism - Right and wrong are matters of fact.

- Moral judgment convey propositions that is, they are “truth bearers”.

Moral Realism - claims that the existence of moral facts and the truth of moral judgments are
independent of peoples thought and perception.

Ethical Subjectivism - the truth (false) of ethical propositions are dependent on the attitudes or
standards of a person or group of persons.

Non Cognitivism- denies that moral judgments are either true or false. It claims that ethical
sentences do not convey authentic propositions hence are neither true nor false.

Emotivism – is the most popular form of non-cognitivist theory. It submits that moral judgments
are more expressions of emotions and feelings.

2. Moral Universalism - theories that moral facts and principles apply to everybody in all places.

Moral Relativism - Submits that different moral facts and principles apply to different persons or
group of individuals (ethical subjectivism)

3. Moral Empiricism – Moral facts are known through observation and experiences.

Moral Rationalism – moral facts and principles are knowable a priori, that is by reason alone.

Moral Intuitionism- moral truths, are knowable by intuition that is by immediate instinctive
knowledge without reference to any evidence (ethical knowledge)

 NORMATIVE ETHICS – It examines ethical norms that is those guidelines about what is right.

1. Deontology- is an ethical system that bases morality on independent moral rules or duties.
2. Teleology – Refers to moral system that determines the moral value of action by their
outcomes or results. (consequences)
3. Virtue Ethics – A moral system places emphasis on developing good habits of character
(generosity, patience etc.)
 APPLIED ETHICS – It examines specific controversial moral issues it also attempts to determine
the ethically correct course of action in specific realm of human action.

1. Bio Ethics- Ethical issues pertaining to life.

- Biomedical researchers
- Health care
- Medical profession
- Euthanasia
2. Environmental Ethics – moral issues concerning nature ecosystem and its non-human
contents.
- Animal rights
- Endangered species
- Pollution control
3. Business Ethics- it examines moral principles concerning business environment.
- Corporate practices
- Business behavior
- Business policies
4. Sexual Ethics- it studies moral issues about sexuality and human sexual behavior.
- Homosexuality
- Lesbianism
- Polygamy
5. Social Ethics- it deals with what is right for a society to do and how it should act as a whole .
- Racial discrimination
- Death penalty
- Gun control