G. E. Moore

Principia Ethica title page

Grave of philosopher G.E. Moore - geograph.org.uk - 382503

George Edward Moore (4 November 1873 – 24 October 1958), commonly known as G. E. Moore, was a distinguished British philosopher. He was a key figure in the analytic philosophy movement, alongside his contemporaries Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Moore is best known for his defense of ethical non-naturalism, his emphasis on common sense in philosophical methodology, and for the paradox that bears his name. His works have significantly influenced the development of modern philosophy, especially through his rigorous analysis and argumentation.

Biography

G. E. Moore was born in Upper Norwood, London, into a middle-class family. He was educated at Dulwich College and later went on to study at the Cambridge University, where he became a member of the Cambridge Apostles, an elite intellectual society. Moore was a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, where he worked alongside other notable philosophers and logicians.

Throughout his career, Moore was concerned with issues in ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics. He was influential in the early development of analytic philosophy, particularly through his rigorous and clear analytical style. Moore served as the editor of the influential journal Mind and was a professor of philosophy at Cambridge University.

Philosophical Work

Moore's most notable contributions to philosophy were in the areas of ethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of language. He is perhaps best known for his book Principia Ethica (1903), which is a cornerstone of modern ethical theory. In this work, Moore argues against what he calls the "naturalistic fallacy" in ethics, which is the attempt to define good in terms of natural properties such as pleasure or desire. Instead, Moore contends that "good" is a simple, indefinable quality.

Another significant aspect of Moore's work is his defense of common sense beliefs. In his essay "A Defence of Common Sense" (1925), he argues against skepticism and idealism, maintaining that common sense beliefs about the world, such as the existence of external objects and other minds, are essentially correct.

Moore is also known for "Moore's paradox," which highlights a peculiar inconsistency in asserting a belief in a proposition while simultaneously declaring that one does not believe it. This paradox has implications for the philosophy of language and the study of belief.

Legacy

Moore's influence on analytic philosophy and his emphasis on clarity, rigorous argumentation, and the analysis of language have left a lasting impact on the field. His work laid the groundwork for later philosophers, including the logical positivists and language analysts. Moore's emphasis on common sense and ordinary language has also influenced the later ordinary language philosophy.

Selected Works

• Principia Ethica (1903)
• Ethics (1912)
• Some Main Problems of Philosophy (1953)

See Also

• Analytic philosophy
• Naturalistic fallacy
• Philosophy of language