1. Meta-Ethics
Non-Cognitivism

2. Aims To explain non-cognitivism
To analyse and discuss the non-cognitive theories of emotivism and prescripitivism

3. Viewpoints within Meta-Ethics
Anti-realists believe that ‘facts’ about morality are just facts about us – we create morality
Non-cognitivists –moral statements are subjective and only appear to be like factual statements. Actually they are disguised commands, or expressions of preference
E.g. ‘Abortion is wrong’
For a non-cognitivist this statement expresses an opinion which might be true for some people but false for others

4. Task
Using your booklets, make a poster of the key ideas in Meta-Ethics

6. The study of ethical concepts, such as right and wrong, good and bad, and of sentences that use these concepts

7. The study of ethical concepts, such as right and wrong, good and bad, and of sentences that use these concepts
This philosopher believed that we can know moral facts using our intuition. He said that "goodness is a simple, undefinable, non-natural property"

8. The study of ethical concepts, such as right and wrong, good and bad, and of sentences that use these concepts
This philosopher believed that we can know moral facts using our intuition. He said that "goodness is a simple, undefinable, non-natural property"
A non-cognitive theory associated with A. J. Ayer and Charles Stevenson

9. The study of ethical concepts, such as right and wrong, good and bad, and of sentences that use these concepts
This philosopher believed that we can know moral facts using our intuition. He said that "goodness is a simple, undefinable, non-natural property"
A non-cognitive theory associated with A. J. Ayer and Charles Stevenson
There are objective moral facts and real moral properties and we can know them using our knowledge of the world

10. The study of ethical concepts, such as right and wrong, good and bad, and of sentences that use these concepts
This philosopher believed that we can know moral facts using our intuition. He said that "goodness is a simple, undefinable, non-natural property"
A non-cognitive theory associated with A. J. Ayer and Charles Stevenson
There are objective moral facts and real moral properties and we can know them using our knowledge of the world
Moral judgements are about facts. They can be proved or disproved by looking at evidence

11. The study of ethical concepts, such as right and wrong, good and bad, and of sentences that use these concepts
This philosopher believed that we can know moral facts using our intuition. He said that "goodness is a simple, undefinable, non-natural property"
A non-cognitive theory associated with A. J. Ayer and Charles Stevenson
There are objective moral facts and real moral properties and we can know them using our knowledge of the world
Moral judgements are about facts. They can be proved or disproved by looking at evidence
Moral judgements are about feelings. Moral statements express desires, tastes or opinions

12. The study of ethical concepts, such as right and wrong, good and bad, and of sentences that use these concepts
This philosopher believed that we can know moral facts using our intuition. He said that "goodness is a simple, undefinable, non-natural property"
A non-cognitive theory associated with A. J. Ayer and Charles Stevenson
There are objective moral facts and real moral properties and we can know them using our knowledge of the world
Moral judgements are about facts. They can be proved or disproved by looking at evidence
Moral judgements are about feelings. Moral statements express desires, tastes or opinions
There are objective moral facts and real moral properties and we can know them through intuition
Meta-Ethics
G. E. Moore
Emotivism
Naturalism
Cognitivism
Non-
Cognitivism
Intuitionism

13. Emotivism – A J Ayer
Moral statements express our emotions about a particular issue
‘Stealing is wrong’ = ‘I disapprove of stealing’
This is often called the ‘Boo-Hurrah’ theory of ethics - We say ‘boo’ to what we don’t like and ‘hurrah’ to what we do like
Emotivism does not tell us how to live a moral life; instead it helps us understand that moral statements are intended to guide actions and convey attitudes

14. Criticism of Ayer
Emotivism reveals how the ethical statements we make depend on our attitudes, upbringing and feelings, but this can lead to the idea that there are no moral facts (simple subjectivism)

15. Emotivism – C L Stevenson
Ethics and Language (1944) gives a more detailed version of Emotivism
Moral terms are both descriptive and emotive
Ethical statements are attitudes based on beliefs about the world – so ethical disagreements are disagreements about fundamental principles
They are attempts to influence the views of others
They are subjective opinions

16. Weaknesses
Feelings and preferences can change from day to day. However, ethical statements do not change daily. Does it make sense to say that yesterday stealing was wrong but today it is OK?
Surely some opinions and feelings are less valid than others?
According to James Rachels, moral judgements are not just expressions of feeling – they are also appeals to reason

17. Universal Prescriptivism
Ethical statements are commands
When we say, ‘don’t bully people’ we are not just expressing a personal preference. We are instructing people not to do this
When we say someone else ought to do something we should also be willing to do it ourselves
If we think that something should be done to someone else, we have to accept the possibility that the same thing could be done to us

18. Weaknesses
It does not help us to understand why we should follow one person’s prescriptions rather than another’s
It reduces ‘ought’ statements to universalisable prescriptions, thereby getting rid of the idea that ethical statements can be expressions of truth
It could justify the universalisation of immoral actions

19. Summary of Meta-Ethics
Naturalists believe that it is possible to establish moral facts by looking at evidence and drawing logical conclusions
Intuitionists believe that it is possible to establish moral facts by using our intuition about right and wrong
Emotivists believe that moral statements express the opinions of the speaker but do not have any objective factual value
Prescriptivists believe that moral statements prescribe actions or make commands

20. Homework a) Explain what is meant by Meta-Ethics (33)
b) ‘ “Good’’ always means the same thing.’ Discuss (17)