CONCEPT OF MORALITY: FROM ABSOLUTISM TO LOCAL SYSTEMS

Abstract

Th e paper discusses the causes of emergence and persistence of moral absolutism as an infl uential ethical and metаethical theory. Th e author claims that oversimplifi cation of moral problems is closely related to their individualistic interpretations, which means that subject’s ethical choice may be analyzed apart from its social and naturalistic context. Th e article suggests the concept of local moral systems as a means to overcome moral absolutism. Th is concept denies existence of any distinct and unifi ed moral entity and proposes existences of parallel and not necessarily correlated processes aimed at forming multileveled socio-biological regulations of behavior of members of some groups of individuals.

Keywords:

moral absolutism, evolution, metaethics, intersubjectivity