Skepticism, Dogmatism, Relativism, and Moral Concepts
Skepticism
Skeptics question the possibility of absolute certainty. There are two main types:
- Radical skepticism: Asserts that humans cannot attain knowledge because we only perceive appearances, not the things themselves.
- Moderate skepticism: Believes that while we may have the capacity to know, we lack a definitive criterion to verify the truth of our statements.
Dogmatism
Dogmatism is the position that accepts doctrines without criticism, believing in absolute truth. This can lead to intolerance towards opposing views, especially in areas like religion and politics, potentially causing fanaticism.
Relativism
Relativism posits that knowledge is relative. It includes:
- Individual relativism: Truth varies for each individual.
- Social relativism: Each society or culture has its own system of truths.
- Historical relativism: Each historical era has its own system of truths.
Criticism
Criticism involves analyzing human reason to assess our capacity for knowledge before declaring something true or false.
Rules, Values, and Principles
Rules: Directions on how to act in specific situations to achieve certain outcomes.
Values: Properties and relationships between objects and people that are considered useful.
Principles: Very general rules.
Moral Concepts
Moral: A person’s set of moral ideas.
Morality: A person’s decisions and moral actions.
Ethics: Philosophical research into morals and morality.
Moral judgment: A proposition resulting from discussions about morality, characterized by universality and impartiality.
Responsibility
Causal responsibility: An individual’s responsibility for actions they know are wrong.
Disclaimer: Taking action that deserves punishment.
Moral responsibility: Responsibility for moral conduct, distinct from legal responsibility.
Ethical Theories
Ethical theories attempt to define and justify good, right action, duty, responsibility, virtue, and moral merit.
Imperative theory: Based on explicit imperative verb forms, addressing specific actions.
Theory of virtue: Focuses on the kind of person one aspires to be.