Amorality

Amorality (also known as amoralism) is an absence of, indifference towards, disregard for, or incapacity for morality.^[1]^[2]^[3] Some simply refer to it as a case of being neither moral nor immoral.^[4] Amoral should not be confused with immoral, which refers to an agent doing or thinking something they know or believe to be wrong.^[5]

Morality and amorality in humans and other animals is a subject of dispute among scientists and philosophers.^[6] Human capabilities may be thought of as amoral in that they can be used for either constructive or destructive purposes, i.e., for good or for ill.^[7]

There is a position which claims that amorality is just another form of morality or a concept that is close to it, citing moral naturalism, moral constructivism, moral relativism, and moral fictionalism as constructs that resemble key aspects of amorality.^[8]

^ Johnstone, Megan-Jane (2008). Bioethics: A Nursing Perspective. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 102–103. ISBN 978-0-7295-3873-2.
^ Superson, Anita (2009). The Moral Skeptic. Oxford University Press. pp. 127–159. ISBN 978-0-19-537662-3.
^ "Amorality". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
^ Cromwell, Michael (2002). The Anti-Dictionary: A Selected List of Words Being Forced from the Modern Lexicon. New York: Writers Club Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0595224173.
^ New School Dictionary. Collins. 1999. p. 24. ISBN 0 00 472238-8.
^ Lewis, Clive Staples (2010). Abolition of Man. Lits. p. 60. ISBN 978-1609421472.
^ Smith, M. K., Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education, The encyclopedia of pedagogy and informal education, updated 19 October 2019, accessed 8 September 2021
^ Marks, Joel (2013). Ethics Without Morals: In Defence of Amorality. New York: Routledge. p. 57. ISBN 9780415635561.

[Johnstone_2008-1] Johnstone, Megan-Jane (2008). Bioethics: A Nursing Perspective. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 102–103. ISBN 978-0-7295-3873-2.

[Superson_2009-2] Superson, Anita (2009). The Moral Skeptic. Oxford University Press. pp. 127–159. ISBN 978-0-19-537662-3.

[Dictionary.com-3] "Amorality". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-18.

[4] Cromwell, Michael (2002). The Anti-Dictionary: A Selected List of Words Being Forced from the Modern Lexicon. New York: Writers Club Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0595224173.

[5] New School Dictionary. Collins. 1999. p. 24. ISBN 0 00 472238-8.

[C._S._Lewis,_Abolition_of_Man-6] Lewis, Clive Staples (2010). Abolition of Man. Lits. p. 60. ISBN 978-1609421472.

[7] Smith, M. K., Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education, The encyclopedia of pedagogy and informal education, updated 19 October 2019, accessed 8 September 2021

[8] Marks, Joel (2013). Ethics Without Morals: In Defence of Amorality. New York: Routledge. p. 57. ISBN 9780415635561.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]