Ethical Realism

Realism
Realism takes on various meanings depending on the
context.
Related to some form of reality.
In philosophy, reality exists independent of
observers.
Realism frequently contrasts with Idealism.

Moral Realism
Moral realism is the meta-ethical view

Ethical sentences express propositions.

Some such propositions are true.
True due to objective features of the world.
Non-Nihilist form of Cognitivism.

Moral Realism vs Moral Anti-Realism

Moral Realism is in opposition to all forms of
Moral Anti-Realism:
Ethical Subjectivism

(denies that moral propositions refer

to objective facts)

Error Theory (denies that any moral propositions are true)

Non-Cognitivism (denies moral sentences express
propositions)

Richard Boyd on Moral Realism

Moral statements are the kind of statements which
are true or false (or approximately true, largely false)
The truth or falsity of moral statements is largely
independent of our moral opinions or theories.
Ordinary canons of moral reasoning, of scientific
and everyday factual reasoningconstitute a reliable
method for obtaining and improving (approximate)
moral knowledge.

Robust moral realism

Semantic thesis: Primary semantic role of moral predicates (right
& wrong) is to refer to moral properties (rightness & wrongness)
Alethic thesis: Some moral propositions are in fact true.
Metaphysical thesis: Moral propositions are true when actions
(and other objects of moral assessment) have the relevant moral
properties i.e.:
facts and properties are robust
their metaphysical status, is not different from that of ordinary nonmoral facts and properties.

Minimal Moral Realism

Leaves off the metaphysical thesis, treating it as
a matter of contention among moral realists.
A significant dispute: as acceptance or rejection of
the metaphysical thesis is taken by those
employing the robust model as the key difference
between moral realism and moral anti-realism.

A moral realist vs An anti-realist

A moral realist believes .

there is at least one moral fact.
moral facts are not reducible to non-moral facts.
Moral statements are true or false.
At least one moral statement is true.
An anti-realist .
merely disagrees with the moral realist in some
respect.
moral realism also requires us to accept intrinsic
value of certain things is important.

Moral Cognitivism
Cognitivism is the theory that something is true or false.
Statements are generally supposed to be cognitive.
*I am human is either true or false.
*Boo! an emotional expression that is not true or false.
Moral cognitivism is the hypothesis that moral statements are true or
false.
*Murder is wrong is either true or false
Only if moral cognitivism is true.
However, non- cognitivists will argue that murder is wrong is merely
an emotional expression similar to Boo!

Advantages
Moral realism allows ordinary rules of logic (modus ponens) to
be applied to moral statements.
We can say that a moral belief is false or unjustified or
contradictory in the same way we would about a factual belief.
It has the capacity to resolve moral disagreements.

If two moral beliefs contradict one another, realism says that they
cannot both be right and work towards resolving the issue.
Other theories have trouble formulating the statement "this
moral belief is wrong, and so cannot resolve disagreements.

Criticism
Realism resolves however does not explain how conflicts arise.
The Moral Realist appeals to basic human psychology, arguing that people pursue
various selfish motivations or are simply mistaken about what is objectively right.
Postulates existence of a "moral fact" which is nonmaterial and does not appear to be
accessible to the scientific method.
Moral truths cannot be observed in the same way as material objective facts.
An Emotivists counter argument alleges that "wrong" actions produce measurable
results in the form of negative emotional reactions.
(either within the individual transgressor, within the person or people most directly
affected by the act, or within a (preferably wide) consensus of direct or indirect
observers)

Moral Realism: subdivisions

Ethical Naturalism
(Objective features of the world can be reduced to
some set of non-moral features)
Ethical Non-Naturalism.
(Moral terms refer to irreducible moral
properties)

Moral realists
A Wide range of philosophers accepts Moral Realism:
David Brink,
John McDowell,
Peter Railton,
Geoffrey Sayre-McCord,
Michael Smith,
Terence Cuneo,
Russ Shafer-Landau,
G.E. Moore,
John Finnis,
Richard Boyd,
Nicholas Sturgeon,
Thomas Nagel,
Marx and
Plato.