Emotivism

Question 1

Emotivism definition

Answer 1

Moral statements are not statements of fact, but are indicators of emotional states / personal opinions.

Question 2

Summary of emotivism

Answer 2

• Emotivism believes that there are no moral truths; moral statements are based on feelings of approval or disapproval.

• It is an anti-realist theory, believing that there are no moral facts.

•It is a non-cognitivist theory - believing that statements made about right and wrong are not subject truth or falsity.
Ethical statements are expressions of opinion.

Question 3

Background to Emotivism

Answer 3

• The background to emotivism is found in the work of the logical positivists.

• The Verification Principle suggests that statements are only meaningful if they (1) are analytic statements that are true by definition or (2) they are synthetic statements that are verified by the senses.

• As moral statements fail this criteria, they are factually meaningless