Moral philosophy

Moral Philosophy is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. Philosophers today usually divide ethical theories into three general subject areas: meta-ethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.

Meta-ethics

Meta-ethics investigates where our ethical principles come from, and what they mean. It focuses on the issues of universal truths, the will of God, the role of reason, the individual character, and the meaning of ethical terms themselves.

Normative ethics

Normative ethics takes on a more practical task, which is to arrive at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. This may involve articulating the good habits that we should acquire, the duties that we should follow, or the consequences of our behavior on others.

Applied ethics

Applied ethics involves examining specific controversial issues, such as abortion, infanticide, animal rights, environmental concerns, homosexuality, capital punishment, or nuclear war.

History of moral philosophy

The history of moral philosophy dates back to ancient times with the works of philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. It has since evolved and developed through the ages with contributions from philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and Friedrich Nietzsche.

See also

• Ethics
• Philosophy of life
• Philosophy of law
• Political philosophy
• Social philosophy

External links

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Ethics

Moral philosophy Resources
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