Metaethics: An Introduction / Edition 1

by Andrew Fisher

Overview

Do moral facts exist? What would they be like if they did? What does it mean to say that a moral claim is true? What is the link between moral judgement and motivation? Can we know whether something is right and wrong? Is morality a fiction?

Metaethics: An Introduction presents a very clear and engaging survey of the key concepts and positions in what has become one of the most exciting and influential fields of philosophy. Free from technicality and jargon, the book covers the main ideas that have shaped metaethics from the work of G. E. Moore to the latest thinking.

Written specifically for beginning students, the book assumes no prior philosophical knowledge. The book highlights ways to avoid common errors, offers hints and tips on learning the subject, includes a glossary of core terms, and provides guidance for further study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781844652587
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/05/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Introduction 1

1 The open question argument 11

2 Emotivism 25

3 Error theory 39

4 Moral realism and naturalism 55

5 Moral realism and non-naturalism 73

6 Quasi-realism 91

7 Moral relativism 111

8 Moral psychology 127

9 Moral epistemology 141

10 Fictionalism and non-descriptive cognitivism 157

Questions 173

Glossary 177

References 183

Index 191

Editorial Reviews

"Fills a very clear gap ... a genuinely introductory and accessible text. It would be very surprising if this book was not included as standard on most metaethics courses at undergraduate and Masters levels." – Political Studies Review

"One of the greatest successes of the work is that Fisher clearly understands what a textbook should be, and how it can be of most use to students … Fisher's book constantly points beyond itself, repeatedly and strongly hinting that there is more to be done once each chapter has been gone through … There is an awful lot to praise in this first-rate textbook … If you are a student looking for an accessible and worthwhile introduction to the field of metaethics, you have found it. If you are a lecturer looking for a metaethics textbook to recommend, you can recommend this one with confidence." – Metapsychology Online

From the Publisher