De-Moralisation as Moral Progress; An Argument for a Limited Scope of Morality

Abstract

Most people in western countries no longer think that homosexuality is morally wrong, nor do they think that birth control is a moral issue. These are instances of de-moralisation, a type of moral progress. In this thesis, I argue that proper de-moralisation is a distinct type of moral progress, one that has not received enough attention in the philosophical debate. I further argue that in order to properly understand this type of moral progress, we need a definition of the scope of morality. Lastly, I defend a specific position on the scope of morality, a limited view of morality where only harmful behaviours are morally loaded. My position is supported by empirical evidence and can help distinguish moral progress from moral regress.