On your whiteboard: Define/explain these terms: Cognitivism Non-cognitivism Realism Anti-realism Naturalism Is-Ought Gap Open Question Argument Naturalistic Fallacy

Cognitivism Non-cognitivism Realism Anti-realism

Naturalism Is-Ought Gap Open Question Argument Naturalistic Fallacy

Define the word ‘yellow’ On whiteboards: Define the word ‘yellow’

G. E. Moore Yellow cannot be defined because it is a simple property – it can’t be broken down any further. Goodness is a simple property too, so it can’t be defined in terms of something else - you see it for yourself to understand what it is.

Intuitionism (G.E.Moore) It is a realist, cognitivist position. This means… Moral terms do not stand for natural properties They cannot be discovered through observation of the world. They are special non-natural properties. We know them intuitively.

Intuitions Moore doesn’t mean that “we just know”. We don’t need evidence from the world. They are incapable of proof. We work out moral truths for ourselves, using our reason/rationality – like maths. Is 6 a prime number? Is killing wrong?

Can you think of any other ‘ideals’? G.E.Moore Can you think of any other ‘ideals’? So, good cannot be defined. But we can know what it is like. By using our intuition, we can identify lots of things which seem good – these are called ideals, and Moore says they include friendship and beauty. To support his theory, Moore asked the reader to compare two worlds, one was entirely beautiful, full of things which complimented each other; the other was a hideous, ugly world, filled with “everything that is most disgusting to us.” But there are no human beings around to appreciate or be disgusted by these worlds. Moore thought it was clear that the beautiful world was better, so beauty must be part of the “good”.

Prescriptivism Is a non-cognitive, anti-realist theory. This means… When a doctor gives you a prescription, what is he doing?

When a doctor gives you a prescription, what is he doing? R.M.Hare “The function of moral principles is to guide conduct” What is he saying here about moral terms?

Prescriptivism (R.M.Hare) Moral statements are not truth-apt. Moral statements are prescriptions/commands/instructions. Eg. “Killing is wrong” = “Hitler was bad” = “Vegetarianism is good” =

Prescriptivism (R.M.Hare) Moral judgements are universal. When I say to Fred “killing is wrong”, this means “don’t kill”. But it doesn’t just apply to Fred. I must also mean that it is wrong for anyone else in the same situation as Fred to kill.

What does G.E.Moore mean by intuitions? Why is prescriptivism non-cognitivist? What is a non-natural property? Why is goodness like yellowness? What is goodness according to prescriptivism?