Dimensions of Moral Theory.. An Introduction to Metaethics and Moral Psychology

This introduction to metaethics and moral psychology examines fundamental questions about the nature, justification, and psychological basis of morality. Jacobs presents a comprehensive overview of core debates in moral theory, analyzing how different philosophical traditions understand moral judgment, moral knowledge, and moral motivation. The work engages systematically with both classical and contemporary positions in moral philosophy, offering readers a framework for understanding competing approaches to ethical theorizing.

The text explores several interconnected dimensions of moral theory. First, it examines metaethical questions about moral language and moral reality: whether moral claims express beliefs or attitudes, whether moral facts exist independently of human practices, and how moral knowledge might be possible. Jacobs analyzes the debate between cognitivists, who hold that moral judgments express beliefs capable of truth or falsity, and non-cognitivists, who argue that moral judgments primarily express emotions or prescriptions. Second, the work investigates moral psychology, particularly the relationship between moral judgment and motivation, examining internalist claims that moral judgments necessarily motivate against externalist arguments for a contingent connection.

Throughout his analysis, Jacobs engages with major positions in twentieth-century moral philosophy, including emotivism, prescriptivism, moral realism, and constructivism. He examines how naturalistic approaches attempt to ground ethics in facts about human nature or social practices, while non-naturalist positions maintain the sui generis character of moral properties. The discussion incorporates insights from contemporary moral psychology about the roles of reason, emotion, and intuition in moral judgment.

While not explicitly focused on theological questions, the work's treatment of moral objectivity and moral knowledge bears significantly on debates about God's relationship to morality. The analysis of moral realism addresses whether objective moral truths require a divine foundation, while the examination of moral motivation considers both secular and potentially theistic accounts of why humans respond to moral demands. Jacobs maintains a dialogical approach, presenting various positions fairly while helping readers understand the philosophical stakes of each view. His methodological commitment to careful conceptual analysis provides tools for assessing how different metaethical theories might support or challenge theistic ethics. The work serves as a valuable resource for understanding how contemporary moral philosophy frames questions that intersect with theological concerns about the source and authority of moral norms.