Moral nihilism section Flashcards
What is the strength of emotivism according to Ayer’s theory?
It makes sense of the way ethical and political disputes are contentious
Viewing ethical disputes as emotional outbursts explains their heated nature.
What is a significant weakness of emotivism?
The critique of moral nihilism
Moral nihilism posits that morality is pointless and could lead to a disregard for general morals or laws.
What does moral nihilism imply about morality?
Morality is pointless
This concern suggests that if people become nihilists, they may stop adhering to moral standards.
What is Ayer’s stance on moral judgments regarding historical figures like Hitler?
There is no logical way to say Hitler was actually wrong
Ayer argues that while we can express dislike for actions, it doesn’t equate to objective moral condemnation.
How did philosophers like Philippa Foot respond to Ayer’s emotivism?
They argued that it cannot be valid to claim there is no right or wrong
Foot contended that such thinking may have enabled atrocities like the holocaust.
What is the potential consequence of Ayer’s theory on society?
It looks like Ayer destroys morality
If no one believes in right or wrong, it could lead to the end of societal order.
What does Ayer argue about Foot’s emotional reaction to the holocaust?
Foot expressed her negative emotional reaction with the word ‘wrong’
Ayer would suggest this does not imply an objective moral truth.
What is required to disprove Ayer’s theory?
Prove that morality is actually real
Disproving Ayer’s emotivism hinges on establishing the reality of moral values.
What foundational mistake does Foot claim Ayer and Hume made?
The separation between facts and values
Foot argues this separation leads to misunderstandings about moral judgments.
How does Foot illustrate the nihilism issue in relation to Ayer?
By showing that the holocaust exemplifies the mistaken separation of facts from values
Foot’s argument highlights that moral values can be seen as facts.
According to Foot, how can moral judgments be verified?
A posteriori
Foot argues that moral judgments can be verified through empirical observation, such as the effects of the holocaust.
What is the ultimate conclusion about anti-realism according to Foot?
Anti-realism is ultimately false because moral realism is true
The nihilism argument highlights the flaws in anti-realism rather than disproving moral realism.
True or False: Ayer’s emotivism supports the idea that moral judgments can be separated from factual observations.
False
Ayer’s emotivism does not support the separation of moral judgments from factual observations.
