emotivism

In metaethics (see ethics), the view that moral judgments do not function as statements of fact but rather as expressions of the speaker's or writer's feelings. According to the emotivist, when we say “You acted wrongly in stealing that money,” we are not expressing any fact beyond that stated by “You stole that money.” It is, however, as if we had stated this fact with a special tone of abhorrence, for in saying that something is wrong, we are expressing our feelings of disapproval toward it. Emotivism was expounded by A. J. Ayer in Language, Truth and Logic (1936) and developed by Charles Stevenson in Ethics and Language (1945).

Emotivism

an ethical theory based on the ideas and methodology of logical positivism. According to the theory, moral judgments and terms are neither true nor false; they are devoid of cognitive content, since they cannot be verified by experience. They are significant only to the extent that they express moral emotions (for example, the emotions of the speaker).

Viewing moral concepts as arbitrary, emotivism presents a nihilistic interpretation of morality. It gained currency between the 1920’s and 1940’s in Great Britain, Austria, and the USA. Its chief spokesmen have been A. Ayer, B. Russell, R. Carnap and H. Reichenbach.

REFERENCE

Drobnitskii, O. G., and T. A. Kuz’mina. Kritika sovremennykh burzhuaznykh eticheskikh kontseptsii. Moscow, 1967. Chapter 4.

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No references found	Taking a cue from Ronald Dworkin, who holds (in Nagel's formulation) that "skeptical positions must themselves be understood as moral claims," Nagel shows how moral claims are not expressions of feeling, as the utilitarian emotivists hold, but rational claims with an inherent universal claim. The Last Word by Oakes, Edward T. / Commonweal The specific feature of Etzioni's argument is that this consensus must not be intimidated by socially and intellectually fashionable emotivists into playing down the centrality of "the moral voice. The Spirit of Community: Rights, Responsibilities, and the ... by Sullivan, William M. / Commonweal	Emmetropia Emmett, Daniel Emmett, Daniel Decatur Emmons County Emmons, S. F. Emmons, William Harvey emmonsite Emmor Emmy Emmy award Emmy Charlotta Achte Emmy Charlotta Achté Emmy Destinn Emmy Noether emodin emollient Emollients Emory University Emory, William H. EMOSFET emotag emote emoticon Emotion Emotivism emotivists Empathy Empecinado, El Empedocles empeg Empennage Emperor Emperor Moths emperor penguin Emperor's New Clothes Empetrum Emphasis emphasizer Emphatic Consonant emphysema Emphysema, Pulmonary emphysematous chest Emphyteusis Empididae Empire empire cloth Empire Mine State Historic Park Empire State Empire State Building Empire Style Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park	Emotioned Emotioned Emotioned Emotionelle Erste Hilfe emotionless emotionless emotionless emotionless emotionlessness Emotions Emotions Emotions Emotions Emotions and Behaviours at Work Emotions and Human-Technology Interaction Emotions, Cognitions, Heredity and Outcome Emotiv Development Kit Emotival emotive emotive Emotive hardcore Emotive hardcore emotively emotively emotiveness emotiveness Emotivism Emotivism emotivist emotivist emotivists emotivity emotivity Emoto EMOV Emove Emoviolence EMOW EMOWG EMOYO EMP EMP Emp music EMP Pulse EMP Pulse EMP1 EMP2 EMP3 EMP4EMS EMPA EMPA EMPA EMPA EMPAA EMPAC empacho EMPACT Empada EMPAG EMPAGUA Empair

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Taking a cue from Ronald Dworkin, who holds (in Nagel's formulation) that "skeptical positions must themselves be understood as moral claims," Nagel shows how moral claims are not expressions of feeling, as the utilitarian emotivists hold, but rational claims with an inherent universal claim.

The Last Word by Oakes, Edward T. / Commonweal

The specific feature of Etzioni's argument is that this consensus must not be intimidated by socially and intellectually fashionable emotivists into playing down the centrality of "the moral voice.

The Spirit of Community: Rights, Responsibilities, and the ... by Sullivan, William M. / Commonweal

Emotivism (redirected from emotivists)

emotivism

REFERENCE

Emotivism
(redirected from emotivists)