January 24, 2003

Absolutism:
Egoism, Divine Command, Deontology, Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics
Relativism:
Cultural Relativism, Subjectivism (moral truth applied to one individual)

Emotivism: no such thing as morality.
What do moral statements refer to? Nothing

Analogies: “Go Ducks!”; music, laughter (based on preference not on fact)
“Any statement which can’t be verified through the senses or scientifically has no factual content or value.”

Psychological egoism—descriptive (factual, empirical) theory of human nature [What we are in fact like.]

Ethical egoism—prescriptive (normative) theory about morality [What we ought to be like.]

Calvanism—theological view
· “Total depravity” of human beings
· Psychological egoist but not ethical egoist