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4.1.2 Moral philosophy

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do utilitarianism, Kantian ethics and virtue ethics apply to real moral issues?

The application of utilitarianism, Kantian deontology and Aristotelian virtue ethics to the four AQA issues of stealing, simulated killing, eating animals and telling lies, comparing how each theory treats these cases and the strengths and weaknesses each application reveals.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level Philosophy moral philosophy on applied ethics, showing how utilitarianism, Kantian deontology and Aristotelian virtue ethics each handle the four set issues of stealing, simulated killing, eating animals and telling lies, and what these applications reveal about each theory.
11 min answer →

Is the good life a matter of becoming a virtuous person rather than following rules?

Aristotle's account of eudaimonia and the function argument, virtue as a disposition of character, the doctrine of the mean, the role of habituation, practical wisdom (phronesis) and voluntary action, and objections including circularity, guidance, conflicting virtues and cultural relativity.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level Philosophy moral philosophy, covering Aristotle's eudaimonia and the function argument, virtues as dispositions, the doctrine of the mean, habituation, practical wisdom and voluntary action, and the main objections including the guidance problem, circularity, clashing virtues and relativism.
11 min answer →

Can morality be grounded in reason and duty rather than consequences?

Kant's good will and duty, the distinction between hypothetical and categorical imperatives, the Formula of Universal Law and the Formula of Humanity as an end in itself, perfect and imperfect duties, and objections including conflicting duties, the role of consequences and ignoring agent partiality.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level Philosophy moral philosophy, covering Kant's good will and duty, hypothetical versus categorical imperatives, the Formula of Universal Law and the Formula of Humanity, perfect and imperfect duties, and objections such as conflicting duties, the neglect of consequences and the problem of partiality.
11 min answer →

Are moral judgements descriptions of moral facts or expressions of attitude?

The distinction between cognitivism and non-cognitivism, moral realism including naturalism and non-naturalism, Hume's is-ought gap and Moore's open question argument and naturalistic fallacy, error theory, and non-cognitivist theories of emotivism and prescriptivism, with the problem of moral motivation.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level Philosophy metaethics, covering cognitivism versus non-cognitivism, moral realism (naturalism and non-naturalism), Hume's is-ought gap, Moore's open question argument and naturalistic fallacy, Mackie's error theory, and the non-cognitivist theories of emotivism and prescriptivism.
11 min answer →

Is the right action always the one that maximises happiness or pleasure?

Bentham's quantitative hedonistic act utilitarianism and the felicific calculus, Mill's qualitative higher and lower pleasures, the distinction between act and rule utilitarianism, non-hedonistic preference utilitarianism, and the standard objections of calculation, fairness, partiality and the tyranny of the majority.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level Philosophy moral philosophy, covering Bentham's hedonistic act utilitarianism and the felicific calculus, Mill's higher and lower pleasures, act versus rule utilitarianism, preference utilitarianism, and the major objections including calculation, fairness and the tyranny of the majority.
11 min answer →