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Amoralism is the complete absence of moral beliefs, and/or the unequivocal belief that the theory of morality is immaterial.

Though often associated with immoralism, the two are fundamentally different. Immoralism is a system that does not accept moral principles and directly opposes morality, while amoralism does not even consider the existence of morality plausible.

History

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Glover has cited realist views of amoralism held by early Athenians, and in some ethical positions affirmed by Joseph Stalin. The aims of the radical enlightenment culminated in moral nihilism seems to have been realised in the figure of the Marquis de Sade.

Meta-ethics

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Amoralism is generally regarded as a manifestation of moral nihilism,, which is not related to moral scepticism. Amorality is distinct from immorality. One who is amoral denies the existence of objective morality, whereas one who is immoral recognizes a form of morality but chooses not to comply with it.

Unlike a moral or immoral person who would believe in some form of morality and choose to either follow it or not, the amoral person does not recognise right or wrong.

Some different sects of Christianity and Judaism share perspective with the values of Amoralism.

See also

• Apathy
• Irreligion
• Moral nihilism
• Moral skepticism
• Violence

References

1. ^ Johnstone, Megan-Jane (2008). Bioethics: A Nursing Perspective. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 102–103. ISBN 978-0729538732. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
2. Superson, Anita (2009). The Moral Skeptic. Oxford University Press. pp. 127–159. ISBN 978-0195376623. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
3. Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language
4. Glover, Jonathan (2000). Humanity: A Moral History of the Twentieth Century. Yale University Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0300087000. The Athenians presented hard amoralism as mere realism. Echoes of this have been heard many times since, for example in a comment by Stalin on the policies of countries at war: 'Whoever occupies a territory also imposes on it his own social system. Everyone imposes his own system as far as his army has power to do. It cannot be otherwise.' {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
5. The Development of Atheist Amoralism: De Sade
6. Michael Newman, Morals in Theory pg. 123

External links

• Definition of amoralism at Dictionary.com

• Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from July 2009
• Core issues in ethics
• Morality
• Ethical theories