criticism of natural moral law

naturalism

• belief that we can reduce things to be a feature of the natural world
• reducing something good to something that can be explained by nature
• like utilitarianism - reduces the concept of good

naturalistic fallacy

• fallacy of treating the term ‘good’ as if it were the name of a natural property
• 1903: Principia Ethica: to prove that good cannot be defined in rigid terms, it is a simple, unanalysable quality, unknowable
• good is a vague term - abstract concept
• know good through intuition

open question criticism

• if ‘x’ is defined as good, it doesn’t make sense to ask if ‘x’ is good because it obviously is
• good is ‘acting in accordance with god’ - theological naturalist
• may be some instances where we question if god’s will really does equal good
• therefore, it seems that good is indefinable

Moore says we should rely on our intuition to lead us to good

Freud claims that intuition is internalised authority in the form of a ‘super-ego’

• intuition may not be trusted because of primary and secondary socialisations
• too complicated