Moral Skepticism and Nihilism

Moral skepticism and nihilism are two related but distinct positions in metaethics. Moral skepticism holds that we cannot have knowledge or justified beliefs about moral claims, while nihilism holds that there are no moral truths at all.

Forms of Moral Skepticism

Ethical Relativism

One form of moral skepticism is ethical relativism, which holds that moral truths are relative to cultures or individuals. For example, one culture may believe that it is wrong to eat meat, while another culture may believe that it is morally acceptable. Ethical relativism holds that neither culture is objectively right or wrong, but that morality is determined by cultural or individual norms.

Error Theory

Another form of moral skepticism is error theory, which holds that all moral claims are false. Error theorists argue that there is no objective basis for morality, and that our moral language is fundamentally flawed. For example, an error theorist might argue that when we say that stealing is wrong, we are making a false claim because there is no objective fact of the matter about the wrongness of stealing.

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