Moral realism is the view that there are objective moral values—some things really are good or bad, regardless of what anyone thinks about them. Moral realism is opposed to moral relativism, which denies that there are any objective moral values.
Many moral realists also believe in moral naturalism, the view that moral values are natural properties like color or mass. Other moral realists, however, are non-naturalists, believing that moral values are not natural properties. Non-naturalist moral realism is sometimes called “platonic moral realism” after Plato’s theory of Forms—the idea that there is an eternal realm of forms or essences from which all earthly things derive their existence and essence.
Many moral realists believe that moral values are objective because they are grounded in the nature of reality itself. For example, some believe that the good is whatever promotes the flourishing of conscious creatures (Kant), others believe it’s whatever God commands (Plato).
