Meta Ethics (emotivism)

Question 1

who are the two key thinkers in emotivism?

Answer 1

A.J. Ayer

C.L Stevenson

Question 2

what group was ayer part of and who was he influenced by?

Answer 2

part of Vienna circle

hume

Question 3

ayer Believed there was three types of statements what are they?

Answer 3

• analytical (logical)
• synthetic (factual)
• moral

Question 4

what is an analytical statement?

Answer 4

statements that are true in themselves- true by definition

Question 5

what are synthetic statements?

Answer 5

they can be verified by our 5 senses

Question 6

what are moral statements?

Answer 6

expressions of preference, attitude or feeling

they cannot be verified or falsified and are therefore meaningless

Question 7

why is emotivism ethical non naturalism?

Answer 7

because it rejects the view that moral tell you anything about the external world

Question 8

what does good, bad, right and wrong express?

Answer 8

approval/ disapproval

Question 9

what can emotivism be known as ?

Answer 9

the ‘boo’ ‘hurrah’ theory

Question 10

why is it called the boo hurrah theory?

Answer 10

moral statements come from our emotional responses to situtaions

Question 11

give an example of boo hurrah

Answer 11

• murder is wrong (murder- boooooo)

- giving to charity is good (charity- hurrahhh)

Question 12

when making moral statements ayer said we are doing two things?

Answer 12

1- expressing our emotions to a subject

2- encourage others to feel the same

Question 13

ayer quote ?

Answer 13

“the man who Is ostensibly contradicting me is merely expressing his moral sentiments”

Question 14

what was Stevenson interested in?

Answer 14

how moral statements are used and what results they tend to produce

Question 15

what did Vardy and grouch say Stevenson produced?

Answer 15

“a fully articulated version of the emotivist theory”

Question 16

stevenson argued that moral statements have two elements?

Answer 16

• an expression of feeling or attitude that is based on a belief
• a persuasive element which seeks to influence others

Question 17

what do moral judgements express?

Answer 17

approval and disapproval

“this is good”= “I approve of this”

Question 18

summary of Stevensons beliefs?

Answer 18

ethical statements are based on a firm, justifiable belief about the world and the way in which it should work and therefore are meaningful. however they are not verifiable.

Question 19

give 3 strengths of emotivism?

Answer 19

• part of being human is to express emotions
• everyones opinion is valid
• everyone can understand the theory and apply it

Question 20

give 3 weaknesses of the theory?

Answer 20

• Rachel- moral judgements appeal to reasoning not just expression of emotions
• based on attitudes and feeling= simply subjectivism
• McIntyre questions how views are formed, emotivism does not give any help in explaining how we distinguished moral feelings and others