Emotivism

Question 1

What is emotivism?

Answer 1

• a meta ethical theory stating that moral language such as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ is meaningless as it cannot be verified. Instead they are emotive as they convey our feelings and emotions

Question 2

Ayers belief on intuitionism

Answer 2

• he rejected it saying that there is a universal and innate sense of good or bad
• he claimed it was wrong as moral agents do appear to have different idea on ethical terms such as good

Question 3

Ayers emotivism

Answer 3

• agreed with the theory of the logical positivism that moral language was meaningless
• moral terms such as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ do not express objective cognitive facts in any way
• therefore claiming that ethical statements are an expression of emotions
• e.g murder is wrong = I disapprove of murder

Question 4

Boo - hurrah theory

Answer 4

• emotivism is often called this because when we make ethical statements it is like us cheering or jeering at the action
• e.g. abortion is wrong = Boo abortion . Helping others is good = Yay helping others

Question 5

The effect of Moral arguments

Answer 5

• when we have disagreements we are sharing our opinion and encouraging others to feel the same and do something about it.
• “ethical terms do not serve only to express feelings. They are calculated to arouse feelings and stimulate action”

Question 6

C.L. Stevenson

Answer 6

• Stevenson developed on Ayers emotivism
• when we express a moral statement, we are trying to influence others attitudes
  -ethical statements are based upon firm justifiable beliefs about the world and how it should work
• ethical statements are base loosely on scientific terms but not enough to justify a naturalist approach

Question 7

What is subjectivism

Answer 7

• the view that there are no objective truths and no moral truths
• moral statements are subjective to each person they are dependent on the attitudes of the person who thinks about such things

Question 8

Emotivists

Answer 8

• ethical statements have no moral values as they are just expressions of emotions

Question 9

Subjectivists

Answer 9

• ethical statements have moral value as they are based on persons beliefs and attitudes

Question 10

Ayer quotes

Answer 10

• “we argue that he has misconceived the agents motive or that he has misjudged the effects; or that he has failed to take into account the circumstances” - the aim of employing these facts is to get him, to adopt the same moral attitude as I do.

Question 11

Ayers conclusion

Answer 11

• we can argue about someone’s consistency in applying their own principles correctly but we cannot argue about the validity of the principles themselves