Emotivism

David Hume

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Emotivism is a meta-ethical view that claims that ethical sentences do not express propositions but emotional attitudes. This theory is a form of non-cognitivism or expressivism. Emotivism is often associated with the logical positivist movement.

History

Emotivism emerged in the early 20th century, primarily through the works of philosophers such as A.J. Ayer and Charles Stevenson. Ayer's book Language, Truth, and Logic (1936) and Stevenson's Ethics and Language (1944) are seminal texts that articulate and defend the emotivist position.

Key Concepts

Emotivism asserts that moral language functions primarily to express emotions and to influence the actions of others. According to this view, when someone makes a moral statement such as "Stealing is wrong," they are not stating a fact but rather expressing their disapproval of stealing and attempting to persuade others to share this attitude.

Boo/Hurrah Theory

A common way to illustrate emotivism is through the "Boo/Hurrah" theory. According to this theory, saying "Stealing is wrong" is equivalent to saying "Boo to stealing!" Similarly, saying "Helping others is good" is akin to saying "Hurrah for helping others!"

Distinction from Other Theories

Emotivism differs from moral realism, which holds that moral statements are propositions that can be true or false. It also contrasts with subjectivism, which suggests that moral statements are about individual preferences or beliefs.

Criticisms

Emotivism has faced several criticisms. One major criticism is that it fails to account for the apparent objectivity of moral discourse. Critics argue that emotivism reduces moral statements to mere expressions of preference, which undermines the seriousness with which people typically treat moral issues.

Another criticism is that emotivism cannot adequately explain moral disagreement. If moral statements are merely expressions of emotion, it becomes difficult to understand how genuine moral disagreements can occur.

Related Pages

• Meta-ethics
• Non-cognitivism
• Moral realism
• Subjectivism
• A.J. Ayer
• Charles Stevenson
• Logical positivism