Intuitionism

Question 1

When did intuitionism become popular?

Answer 1

At the start of the 18th century; has gone in and out of fashion.

Question 2

What do all intuitionists fundamentally claim?

Answer 2

That there are basic, self-evident, moral facts that cannot be defined with reference to the natural world but which nonetheless can be known.

Question 3

What are these facts that intuitionists speak about?

Answer 3

• the facts are a priori
• they are not subject to opinion or relative to culture
• exist objectively and apply universally

Question 4

What doesn’t intuitionism believe, unlike naturalism?

Answer 4

Doesn’t believe that ethical propositions can be verified from an empirical study of the natural world.

Question 5

What do intuitionists such as Moore argue about what moral agents possess?

Answer 5

They naturally possess a moral intuition that intuitively recognises ‘good’ or ‘bad’

Question 6

What does Moore argue about our moral intuition?

Answer 6

That it is an innate ability. He concedes he does not know why we have it or the intricate detail of how it works.

Question 7

What does Moore include about human reasoning in his argument?

Answer 7

That it isn’t human reasoning that is rationally working out what is good and what is bad.