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Single Idea 6972

[filed under theme 22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / b. Defining ethics ]

Full Idea

Asking whether the attitude that one has adopted is the right attitude comes down to asking whether one is prepared to stand by it.

Gist of Idea

A right attitude is just an attitude one is prepared to stand by

Source

A.J. Ayer (On the analysis of moral judgements [1949], p.244)

Book Ref

Ayer,A.J.: 'Philosophical Essays' [Macmillan 1965], p.244


A Reaction

I would have thought that someone who persisted in being ruthlessly selfish might nevertheless distinguish their behaviour from the grudging concession that the 'right' thing to do might be quite different.


The 15 ideas with the same theme [can we specify exactly what ethics is?]:

I suggest that we forget about trying to define goodness itself for the time being [Plato]
Morality and philosophy are mutually dependent [Novalis]
Ethics is the science of aims [Peirce]
Morality is a system of values which accompanies a being's life [Nietzsche]
Moore tries to show that 'good' is indefinable, but doesn't understand what a definition is [MacIntyre on Moore,GE]
Ethics cannot be put into words [Wittgenstein]
Some people think there are ethical facts, but of a 'queer' sort [Ayer]
A right attitude is just an attitude one is prepared to stand by [Ayer]
Morality shows murder is wrong, but not what counts as a murder [Foot]
Ethics is the conscious practice of freedom [Foucault]
Avoid punishment, then get rewards, avoid rejection, avoid guilt, accept contracts, follow conscience [Kohlberg, by Wilson,EO]
Selfhood and moral values are inextricably intertwined [Taylor,C]
Ethics is universalisable - it must involve an impartial and universal view of things [Singer]
Moral problems are responsibility conflicts, needing contextual and narrative attention to relationships [Gilligan]
The moral will is self-determining, but the ethical will is met in society [Houlgate]