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JAINA ETHICS AND THE META-ETHICAL TRENDS
The main questions which meta-ethics is concerned with are usually three : (1) What is the meaning or definition of the terms like 'good', 'bad', 'right', and 'wrong' used in normative ethics? (2) What is the nature of normative judgements of ethics (Moral Judgements) in which the terms good, right, etc. are used? (3) How can moral judgements be justified? Modern ethics is occupied with these questions and is predominently devoted to the philosophical analysis of ethical terms or judgements. It may not have any relevance to our practical problems, but a sort of conceptual understanding is essential prior to any use of ethical concepts. In Jaina terminology the questions reduce themselves to the following: (i) What is the meaning or definition of the terms like Subha and Aśubha? (ii) What is the nature of judgements in which these terms are used? (iii) How can such judgements be justified and supported? I shall take these questions one by one and discuss the answer of Jaina thinkers regarding these contemporary questions of meta-ethical concern.
The first question that confronts us is : What is ‘good' or 'Subha'? This question, as Moore says, should not be confused with the question, what is the good' or 'Subha' or what thing or things are good or Subha? The former question is more basic than the latter one. It may be asked whether the question of 'good' or 'Subha' can be decided in a universe where there is no element of conciousness. In such a universe, according to the Jaina, there will, be material things, but in
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