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Meta-ethics is the branch of moral philosophy that asks questions not about what is right or wrong, but about the nature, meaning, and status of moral claims themselves. When someone says "murder is wrong," what kind of statement are they making? Are they stating a fact, expressing a feeling, or issuing a command? Can moral statements be true or false? These are the central questions of meta-ethics, and they are essential for the AQA A-Level Religious Studies specification.
Key Definition: Meta-ethics is the study of the meaning, nature, and justification of moral language and moral judgements. It asks what we mean when we say something is "good" or "wrong," rather than which specific actions are good or wrong.
The most fundamental distinction in meta-ethics is between cognitivism and non-cognitivism.
| Position | Key Claim | Moral Statements Are... | Truth Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cognitivism | Moral statements express beliefs about the world | Propositions that can be true or false | Yes |
| Non-cognitivism | Moral statements do not express beliefs | Expressions of emotion, attitude, or prescription | No |
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