We’ll follow our usual pattern for 10 point board here. Offer a substantive initial post by the end of Wednesday and two replies by the end of the day Friday for full credit. Of course more engagement in discussion is welcome, and watch for my occasional contributions aimed at clarifying the material in the chapter. Again, 200-300 words is a good length for a post, but I’m more interested in informed engagement with the material. Here are a few review questions from the reading to get us started.
1. Explain the difference between meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics. Try to identify some issues and questions belonging to each.
2. What does it mean to say that ethics is normative?
3. What could it mean to say that there are ethical truths?
4. Explain the difference between ethical realism, relativism, and subjectivism.
5. Explain DCT and the problem arbitrariness presents for it. What better alternative meta-ethical view is open to religious believers?
6. Explain what Moral Relativism says.
7. How does arbitrariness present a problem for Moral Relativism?
8. Why does Moral Relativism fail to support the idea of tolerance and respect for diverse people and opinions?
9. Explain the problem of moral change or progress for Moral Relativism.
10. Explain the moral reformers’ dilemma as an argument against Moral Relativism.
11. What difficulty does subjectivism face in explaining apparent moral reasoning?
12. Explain the argument for ethical realism offered by this chapter as a whole.