Distinction of Moral Philosophy & Political Philosophy

Moral and political philosophy involve ideas. If you're studying either of these, your job is to read up on a particular idea, then make a strong argument for or against it. However, moral and political philosophy have some differences, and it's important to understand them in order to effectively choose which of the two to study.
  1. People Versus Societies

    • Moral philosophy entails the moral behavior of individual people. Political philosophy deals with people and their place in society. The former asks how a person should regulate his behavior; the latter asks how a society should regulate itself.

    Abstract Subsets

    • One of the key features of moral philosophy is the discussion of abstract ethics. Rather than discussing actual situations, someone discussing this area of philosophy focuses on the meaning of ethics, the language we express our views in, and why morality is necessary. The abstract levels of political philosophy deal with bigger-picture societal issues such as "should there be a government?" The former is concerned with personal behavior in the abstract; the latter is concerned with abstract societal behavior.

    Frameworks

    • Frameworks are important in moral and political philosophy. Without them, it's difficult to discuss issues because there's a "jumping-off point." Moral philosophers construct ethical frameworks with which to work -- "if we assume this is right, then . . . ." is a common beginning for a moral philosopher's argument. Political philosophers create political frameworks. "If society is made up of self-serving people, then . . ." could be the beginning of a political philosopher's discussion. A political philosopher creates large-scale frameworks; a moral philosopher creates individual moral frameworks.

    Applicability

    • Moral philosophy is applied to individual behavior. The result of a moral philosophy discussion should be a decision as to how to act on a day-to-day basis. Political philosophy applies to political policy. The only individual behavior you can likely apply after a political philosophy discussion is who to vote for. Other than that, the applicability is in the hands of leaders, as political philosophy is large-scale in its nature.

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