what distinguishes Meta-Ethics from the other ethics we have been covering in class?

investigates fundamental nature, meaning, and justification of moral concepts rather than specific moral rule

relativism

knowledge, truth, and morality exist only in relation to culture. no universal truths

edmund husserl wanted to study humans and their experiences to look for what is universal in how humans view the world. what was his branch called?

Phenomenology

subjectivism

knowledge is personal reference or choice. no universal truths

what is objectivism in ethics? according to postmodernists do objective truths exist?

the belief that there are objective truths or final truth for everything, while postmodernists disagree

how does bracketing challenge the possibility of objective ethical judgments, given that human experience and moral reasoning are shaped by cultural and historical context?

bracketing shows how our thinking is shaped by our own experiences, identity, and culture, giving us a Lense, making it difficult to make a fully objective ethical judgment

what did deconstructionists ass to this conversation?

by taking apart the idea and understanding where it came from

what was Nietzsche exploring in his book "On Genealogy of Morals"?

where morals come from, showing they are shaped by culture and experience, not universal truth

what did critical theory add to this conversation?

questioning why some ideas continue to exist

how did Nietzsche think Christianity morality was shaped

shaped by people background and experiences, especially as a reaction to roman strength and power

how did American pragmatists Richard rorty try to solve the problem of which ideas work?

said the idea may be good if they help people solve problems and live a better life, while pragmatists asked if this actually worked in real life.

in also sprach zarathustra, characters call us to overcome inherited moral systems and create new values. did he think many could do this? what did he call those who could?

no he did not believe many are capable of this. those who were are called Übermensch

what are the strengths of postmodernism

understanding where certain ideas came from, while also being able to set up a framework that works for everyone

what are the challenges of post modernism

understanding truth, as well as coherence

according to Sartre, what are the two types of things that exist in this world? where did he put humans?

essence perceives existence, and existence perceives essence. humans are existence perceiving essence

mary midgley says postmodernism has a coherence problem, meaning?

she explained the problem of coherence because it explains there are no objective truths, while treating the idea as an objective truth

what does Sartre mean by "existence perceiving essence" and how does this ground his view of human freedom, responsibility, and demand for authenticity?

he explained there is no rule book on how to be human, and you can choose your own morals and values

define bad faith

to accept labels put on you by others

what is an existential hero

a person who is authentic to them selves