Prescriptivism “You cannot derive an ought from an is.” If, in metaethics we cannot say what ought to be done, then what is the point of it? Emotivism is a good description of what expressions of morality are…Boo/Hurrah. Which of these statements rings true with you? Discuss each in turn, ensuring understanding.

Prescriptivism Reading List Palmer – p158-159 Mayled – p174-175 Wright – p210-212 Learning Objectives:- To understand RM Hare’s background and influences To know and understand the basic tenets of prescriptivism To contextualise non-cognitivism and universalisability

From Emotivism to Prescriptivism Emotivism differentiates between facts and values and puts moral statements in the latter category. Hare felt that morality should be more than just an emotive description of subjectivism. Theories such as emotivism and intuitionism were useful but limited.

RM Hare Key 20th century philosopher Key influences include Ayer and Stevenson, Kant and Wittgenstein. Also affected by spending three years as a PoW in WWII in Japan. This influenced his moral philosophy, which he wanted to be meaningful as well as just analytical and descriptive.

Prescriptivism Hare thought that, for moral statements to be useful at all (which he saw as the point of ethics), he thought that it needed to be more than saying ‘Boo to murder’. His theory is known as prescriptivism.

Prescriptivism Moral statements, Hare thought, are prescriptions for what should be done in a situation. Saying ‘murder is wrong’ is like saying ‘You ought not to murder and neither will I.’ Like doctor’s prescriptions, what is prescribed is different from person to person. Kantian universalisability Whose influence is obvious here? How is it similar/different?

Prescriptivism A prescription is an individual saying that a moral statement is not just their feelings, but something universalisable. If I prefer this, I think it is better for everybody and would prescribe it to others. Note – Hare is not saying moral prescriptions are facts or objectively true or false as they are personal, he is merely saying that it is moral if you would prescribe the same for others in that situation. Still non-cognitive as nothing is objective.

Link to areas of Prescriptivism with the influencers… Kant Hume Ayer Utilitarianism Wittgenstein Moral statements are expressions of values Moral statements have descriptive meaning Prescription is based on individual and consequences of a situation Set of prescriptive principles might be needed to guide individuals

Prescriptivism Expanded Developed notes from Wright p210-211. Should include, universalisability principle, an example, basic ideas of prescriptivism, non-cognitive, subjective. Extension – Mayled p175 – How might prescriptivism be criticised?

Summary – Odd One Out Cognitivism Ethical Naturalism Precriptivism Kant Moore Hare Boo Ayer Ought Descriptive Prescriptive Meaningful Universalisable Morality Individual

Summary