Meta Ethics | AQA A-Level Religious Studies (7062)
Meta Ethics
- 55 questions
- 4 subtopics
- Component 1 Section B: ethics and religion
- Component 1
What moral words mean rather than what is right: divine command theory, naturalism, the naturalistic fallacy and intuitionism..
It covers divine Command Theory, naturalism, Non-Naturalism and Intuitionism, the Foundations of Divine Command Theory and the Naturalistic Fallacy and Non-Naturalism.
Sample questions from Meta Ethics
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Divine Command Theory
What strength does Divine Command Theory offer regarding the foundation of morality?
Show the answer
It provides an absolute and objective foundation for morality. -
Divine Command Theory
Why does the Euthyphro dilemma pose a problem for Divine Command Theory?
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If something is good because God commands it, morality seems arbitrary; if God commands it because it is good, then goodness exists independently of God. -
Naturalism, Non-Naturalism and Intuitionism
Explain G.E. Moore's open question argument against naturalism.
Show the answer
For any natural property X, it remains an open question whether X is good, suggesting that 'good' cannot simply be defined as any natural property. -
Naturalism, Non-Naturalism and Intuitionism
What strength does intuitionism have in preserving the nature of moral discourse?
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It preserves the distinctive nature of moral discourse by not reducing it to non-moral terms. -
The Foundations of Divine Command Theory
What is one strength of Divine Command Theory regarding the foundation of morality?
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It provides a clear, absolute foundation for morality grounded in divine authority. -
The Foundations of Divine Command Theory
If something is good only because God commands it, what problem arises for morality?
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Morality appears arbitrary, since God could command anything and it would become good. -
The Naturalistic Fallacy and Non-Naturalism
Why do non-naturalists believe moral facts cannot be discovered through scientific observation alone?
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Because non-naturalism holds that moral properties are not reducible to natural, empirically observable properties, meaning they exist beyond what can be detected through empirical investigation. -
The Naturalistic Fallacy and Non-Naturalism
What problem arises when people's moral intuitions conflict?
Show the answer
Intuitionism provides no method to resolve disagreements when intuitions conflict.
The 4 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Divine Command Theory | Recall questions on how right and wrong are defined, what moral properties are grounded in, and why this counts as meta ethics. | 9 |
| Naturalism, Non-Naturalism and Intuitionism | Recall questions on naturalism and utilitarian definitions of right and wrong, the naturalistic fallacy and Moore's open question argument, and non-naturalism and intuitionism with the problem of conflicting intuitions. | 19 |
| The Foundations of Divine Command Theory | Recall questions on what determines moral obligation, why commands bind, and the strength claimed for grounding morality in God. | 8 |
| The Naturalistic Fallacy and Non-Naturalism | Recall questions on the strengths claimed for naturalism, Moore's naturalistic fallacy, non-naturalism and intuitionism and their weaknesses, and why divine command theory counts as cognitivist. | 19 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Religious Studies Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 3,683 questions with their answers.