Non-Cognitive theories
of meta- ethics
{
Is ‘abortion is wrong’ a fact, or opinion? Jot
down your thoughts on a mwb
What would the cognitivist say? The
Naturalist? The Intuitionist?
Ethical language
Lesson Objectives:
To be able to explain non-cognitivist approaches to
ethical language
To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these
theories
{
H/W: Independent Learning Booklet
Work on your flow
diagram..
objective
Meta Ethics
realist
Cognitive
Naturalism
Non-cognitive
Intuitionism
Moore
Prichard
Ross
Non-Cognitivists
Believe that ethical language IS/IS NOT
meaningful
 Morality CAN/CANNOT be deduced by a process
of thought
 Morality CAN/CANNOT be proved
 Is a REALIST/ANTI-REALIST position

Non-Cognitivism
In a nutshell: there are is no ethical knowledge
because ethical statements are not statements
that can me proved true or false. They are some
other kind of statement:
{
Two theories:
Emotivism
Prescriptivism
Look at these words. What do they mean?
Jot down your own description on the mwb.
Emotivism – A J Ayer
Where did we come across him before? Brainstorm in pairs
everything you know about Ayer and what his thoughts on
language are.
Verification Principle: 2 kinds of meaningful statements:
{
Analytic – mathematics or logic
(all vixens are foxes, all bachelors are men)
Synthetic – that can be checked either way, science, history and
ordinary life.
Ethical statements are not verifiable – there are no empirical
facts which can be checked to see if any ethical statement is true
or false. SO THEY ARE MEANINGLESS
Emotivism – Stevenson
Whilst Ayer points out that ethical statements are meaningless,
Stevensons approach gives some meaning to moral
disagreements.
He believed that they explicitly give approval or disapproval and
that they express commands and attempt to persuade and
influence others.
{
Ethical statements are subjective
They cannot be validated
Expressions of feeling
(and according to Stevenson) attempt to persuade or influence
others in how to act.
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Strengths:
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It is subjective – it can account for different cultures and individual
attitudes
It doesn’t need a God or higher power to explain ‘goodness’
It assumes that ethical statements are not the same as empirically verifiable
facts
Accepts the importance of a scientific approach to language
Can persuade or influence others without the need for moral absolutes
Weaknesses:

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It is not an ethical theory, but simply an analysis of the nature and content
of language
Moral judgements are more than expressions of emotion (Rachels - ‘I like
smarties needs no reason, moral judgements do, or else they are arbitrary’.
It allows everyone to do whatever they like on the grounds that everyone’s
opinion is valid (eg: Anders Breivik/9/11/Rwandan Genocide)
We could criticise the verification principle?
Prescriptivism – R.M Hare
Criticised Emotivism:
I did, and do, follow the emotivists in their rejection of
descriptivism. But I was never an emotivist, though I have
often been called one. But unlike most of their opponents I
saw that it was their irrationalism, not their nondescriptivism, which was mistaken. So my main task was to
find a rationalist kind of non-descriptivism, and this led me
to establish that imperatives, the simplest kinds of
prescriptions, could be subject to logical constraints while not
[being] descriptive.
{
Prescriptivism
So, Hare believes that:
Ethical statements ARE expressions of opinion
They are also UNIVERSAL (apply to all)
They are not just expressing views, but telling
others (prescribing) what to do.
{
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Strengths:
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Common moral system
Supports legal system
Weaknesses:
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Does not take account of cultural differences: J.L Mackie disagreed
and said that morals are not universal. We only have to look at
different cultures to understand that – suicide bombers/children
married
Morals are not absolute
They are not universal
Who has authority to prescribe?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwE60eul6CU
Work on your flow
diagram..
objective
Anti-realist
subjective
Meta Ethics
realist
Cognitive
Naturalism
Non-cognitive
Intuitionism
Moore
Emotivism
Prichard
Ross
Prescriptivism
{
4 minutes
In your own words, outline and evaluate one
non-cognitivist theory.
Those working at A-B, consider prescriptivism
Those working at C-B consider emotivism
Next lesson:

Create a 2 minute podcast/film on:
Naturalism
 Intuitionism
 Emotivism
 Prescriptivism
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