A report on Theories of Ethics

Gordon Graham’s book Theories of Ethics an Introduction to Moral Philosophy with a Selection
of Classic Readings (Chapter 1: p. 1 – 12) is an introduction to moral philosophy that focuses to
the exploration of nature of morality for how the people must live their lives with relation to
others. The Chapter has the title “Ethics, Truth and Reason” which contains six topics: 1.1 Right
and Wrong, 1.2 Relativism and Subjectivism, 1.3 Proof and probability, 1.4 Moral Realism, 1.5
Moral Rationalism and 1.6 Objectivism. The chapter was mainly focuses on the western
philosophical beliefs and theories. In each topic, Graham provided brief and neat explanation in
every argument concerning moral philosophy. Moreover, the arguments in obtaining what is
morally right and wrong were since in the era of ancient Greek philosophers. The chapter
provided how these arguments evolved from time to time. With each argument, he also states
its contrary that resulted to the unbiased writing style of the chapter.

The cleverness and brevity of the writing style of the chapter was stupendous. This chapter
contains the idea of many philosophers who studied and provide theory for the search of true
morality. Graham also wrote the idea what is the true morally right and wrong and if it is exist
here in the world. On the account of we have different ethnicities, beliefs and cultures, the
morality also has its own different meaning; for we humans have different perspectives and
principle. Therefore, many philosophers emerged for searching universal moral facts despite of
our differences as a human. Arguments between philosophers has also emerged and different
kind of theories has been established, also their contrary.

The arguments between the Subjectivist and Objectivist are rather interesting. The chapter
contains the arguments of the Subjectivists i.e., “…when it comes to ethics, there is no truth of
the matter to be discovered, what I feel to be right is right for me. If you feel it to be wrong, then
it’s wrong for you.” Which is Interesting, since we all humans have different kind of perspective
although we are the same culture, society and ethnicity. However, we can not rely to someone’s
feelings to found that one moral fact is true. Here it comes the subjectivism’s contrary, the
objectivism.

Also, as a said earlier argument has its own contrary, and here it comes the Objectivism, that
state “…morality is not about emotional feeling, but about practical judgment.”. was mentioned
in the chapter and for him the philosopher Thomas Reid “moral judgments arise from the
exercise of practical rationality and this implies that such judgments aim to be objective.” Which
he concluded the practical judgement sought than moral truth.
Despite all of us are different, there are some moral facts that we believed to be true. Therefore,
the question of mine aroused “Is some moral facts can be considered to be true? Although it is
not believed by one but by whole society’’. Here it comes the idea of “moral relativism”, that
says “there is no absolute moral facts”, for we are born in particular society with different beliefs
and culture, for example “when I say stealing is wrong, it is only true if it acceptable in my own
culture.”. Thus, it is already answered my question, but as I progress reading the chapter, all of
answer direct me with another questions, e.g. “It is good to be a relativist? Without any practical
judgement?”.

This chapter gave me insight that in simple questions in moral facts, there will be emerged
different answers because of we have different perspective and beliefs. For example, if I say
“rapists must be condemned to death”, since we are different, there are many different answers,
some may become subjective or objective. Moreover, I realized that proper judgement with
objectivism will bring its own true morality, since we are here because we seek for what is truly
right and wrong to do.

After I read the last word of the chapter, based on my opinion, I believed that subjectivism must
be wrong because we can not truly believe in someone on the account of his/her feelings. Take
this for example; “All men are cheaters” since she was cheated, she was considering all of men
as cheater which is not true, but if you are subjectivist, you must consider it true. Feelings and
emotions make us something to do unexpectedly what we want or not nor say what is not true.

Any moral facts have been considered to be true by some, but not to the others. Some will be
subjectivist; some will be objectivist. In this chapter, it provided some relevant facts for what is
right and wrong to do and how to use our critical thinking on reading some moral facts.