Philosophical Theories

Naturalism holds that "moral facts are facts of nature" and believes in the "sensible thesis that all facts are facts of nature." The major problem with naturalism as it is extended from natural facts to morality (moral facts) is that there is a leap required in order to avoid ethical nihilism:

If an analysis of moral facts as facts about functions, roles, and interests could be made plausible, that would be a powerful argument for ethical naturalism. But the relevant functions, roles, and interests can at best be only vaguely indicated, so the proposed analysis is difficult to evaluate ("Nihilism" 17).

Naturalism, based in natural, observable, objective facts, must make a leap into ethical judgment. It does so by holding that "moral facts . . . can be reduced to natural facts of a sort that might explain observations" ("Nihilism" 18). Of course, by "explain" the ethical naturalist means "judge." The nihilistic naturalist holds that the ethical naturalist betrays both the natural and the factual bases of naturalism by making that leap into the judgment or "ought" of ethics. The ethical naturalist holds that the analysis of the proper (natural) "functions, roles and interests" of human beings leads to ethical assessment of human behavior, believing that one human function is

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ere to be found, he or she would be most useful in providing clear and precise ethical assessments, but the requirements for such an ideal judge or observer are strict indeed. For example, he must be aware of all the facts which go into the moral analysis and conclusion; he must be able to imaginatively comprehend facts, acts and their consequences; he must be impartial, dispassionate, and consistent (Firth 333-341). Such an ideal judge of moral reality would be difficult if not impossible to find. Who has no personal or professional interest in the outcome of any important issue in which ethics is involved? However, if such an ideal judge could be found, he would stand in stark contrast to the theological voluntarist, who stands on faith in divine will, to the ultimate exclusion of reason. He would find a closer philosophical kin in the ethical naturalist, who at least agrees with him hat ethics are defined and determined by human beings. The naturalist, however, focuses on moral facts as derived from nature, whereas the ideal judge as described by Firth is less bound to any single philosophical methodology. Relativism holds that "the notion that an act is right if, and only if, it accords with the norms of the agent's [or ap
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