University of Kansas, Fall 2004
Philosophy 160: Introduction to Ethics
Ben Egglestoneggleston@ku.edu

Simple subjectivism vs. emotivism

For each of the following utterances, indicate whether it is capable of being true or false.

  1. If the answer is yes (Y), indicate whether it is (A) a description of a person’s feelings or (B) some other kind of utterance that is capable of being true or false.
  2. If the answer is no (N), indicate whether it is (C) an expression of a person’s feelings or (D) some other kind of utterance that is not capable of being true or false.
utterance capable of T/F? A, B, C, or D?
1 I wish discrimination were not still such a problem in our society.    
2 Racial and sexual discrimination occurs every day.    
3 If only there were less discrimination!    
4 Hello.    
5 I disapprove of discrimination.    
6 Would that people would not engage in discrimination.    
7 Racial discrimination is illegal in many contexts.    
8 Discrimination outrages me.    

Now classify each of the following moral judgments, using the same classification scheme as above, but from the specified point of view, where

  1. EO = ethical objectivism (a stance that rejects all subjectivist theories)
  2. SS = simple subjectivism
  3. E = emotivism
utterance point of view capable of T/F? A, B, C, or D?
1 Discrimination on the basis of race or sex is wrong. EO    
2 [same] SS    
3 [same] E    
4 It would be immoral to fire her for what she’s done. SS    
5 People ought to keep their promises. E    
6 Cheating is always wrong. EO    
7 You ought to keep people from continuing to believe things you know are false. E    
8 Prostitution is not immoral and it ought to be legalized. SS