WJEC/Eduqas RS for A2/Yr2: Religion and Ethics (DRAFT)

WJEC / Eduqas Religious Studies for A Level Year 2 and A2 Religion and Ethics

Moore writes:

‘The hypothesis that disagreement about the meaning of good is disagreement with regard to the correct analysis of a given whole, may be most plainly seen to be incorrect by consideration of the fact that, whatever definition may be offered, it may always be asked, with significance, of the complex so defined, whether it is itself good.’ Key quotes Moore claims that we can test any naturalistic definition of goodness by asking whether something that has those natural properties is good, and then seeing whether this question is open or closed. If the definition is true, then the question must be closed, so if it is open, the definition must be false. (Stanford, Stratton-Lake) Suppose, for instance, someone proposes that goodness can be defined in terms of causality and pleasure. To be good, they claim, is just to cause pleasure. Moore’s view is that if this definition were correct, it would be a closed question whether something that causes pleasure is good. For in effect one would be asking whether something that causes pleasure causes pleasure, and that is clearly a closed question. But, Moore insists, the question ‘is something that causes pleasure good?’ is an open question. One could, without conceptual confusion, debate whether something that causes pleasure is good. So goodness cannot be defined as that which causes pleasure. (Stanford / Stratton-Lake) AO1 Activity Go through the three challenges again and try to summarise them yourself so that you can deliver a quick presentation to someone else that will last no longer than one minute.

1.13 What is a closed question?

DRAFT

Study tip Try to think of your own challenges to Naturalism or make a list of what you consider to be its strengths and what you consider to be its weaknesses.

It is a tautology to say ‘The wealthy person had a lot of money’.

24