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Definition:
Emotivism is a meta-ethical theory, important in the philosophy of logical
positivism, which argues that a moral claim such as "X is immoral" is not really a
statement, either about the action itself (a view held by ethical objectivists) or
about the person speaking (a view held by ethical subjectivists). It is, instead,
simply a raw expression of emotion, like a cry of joy or pain. Such an expression
might be characterized as appropriate or inappropriate, but it cannot be characterized
as either true or false any more than a laugh can be true or false.
C.L. Stevenson, who created one of the more sophisticated defenses of ethical emotivism in his 1944 book Ethics and Language, goes a bit further and argues that such moral "statements" are not just expressions of emotion, but are also attempts to get others to share that emotional reaction with us.
Thus, when I say "X is immoral," I am not just expressing my emotional reaction to X, but I am also trying to get you to share that reaction with me. It is important to note here that if moral judgements are not assertions, then they cannot be used as premises or conclusions in a logical argument - thus, an attempt to get people to agree to your emotional reaction also cannot be a logical argument. So by what means could an agreement be reached, other than perhaps force?
The concept of emotivism is also used in aesthetics, and indicates the position that when someone says "Beethoven's 9th symphony is beautiful," then aren't actually saying anything about the intrinsic qualities of that music or even about themselves. Such a statement is, instead, just a raw expression of emotion, like a smile. Thus, as with ethics, such a statement cannot be regarded as either true or false.
Also Known As: emotive theory
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What are Ethics and Morality?
Ethics is the formal study of moral standards and conduct. For this reason, the study of ethics is also often called "moral philosophy." What is good? What is evil? How should I behave - and why? How should I balance my needs against the needs of others?What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
