Moral Anti-realism

Moral anti-realism

The view that there are no mind-independent moral properties or facts. Moral truths do not exist objectively in the world.

Cognitivism

The view that moral statements express beliefs and are truth-apt.

Non-cognitivism

The view that moral judgements do not express propositions that are truth-apt but rather they express emotions or attitudes.  

Error theory

The theory that moral judgements make claims about objective moral properties, but that no such properties exist. Thus moral judgements are cognitive, but are all false. Moral language as we mean to use it, rests on a mistake.

Prescriptivism

Moral statements function as universal prescriptions or commands rather than factual claims.

Universal prescriptions

Moral judgements tell people how they ought to act and apply universally.

Moral nihilism

The view that no moral truths exist.

Emotional ejaculations

Emotivism claims moral statements are expressions of approval or disapproval rather than factual claims.

Emotivism

Moral statements do not express beliefs, but express emotions or attitudes.

Problem of moral language for anti-realism

Anti-realism may struggle to explain moral reasoning, disagreement, and persuasion if moral statements are only expressions of attitudes or commands.

Moral progress problem

If morality is based only on attitudes, it becomes difficult to explain why later moral views (e.g. rejecting slavery) are morally better rather than just different.

Moral disagreement problem

If emotivism is correct, moral disagreements may simply be clashes of emotion rather than genuine disputes about truth.