GEd 107 Module 11: Feelings and Reason

Emotion / Feeling (Ells 2014 definition)

An internal response to external stimuli based on past experiences that is frequently instinctive in nature.

Reason (Module 11 Definition)

A form of personal justification that is consciously shaped by an individual's ethical beliefs and cumulative life experiences.

Interconnected Dual-Engine Model

The model showing that emotion and reason are tightly connected and must work together to make sound moral judgments, as a lack of either affects decision-making.

Relying exclusively on reason hazard

It allows decisions based purely on objective logic and facts, but is dangerous because it can completely ignore important emotional and human factors.

Instinctive Ethics

The perspective held by some ethicists that moral judgments can be instinctive, originating from trained emotional responses to moral dilemmas.

Ethical Subjectivism

A meta-ethical theory opposing objective or universal morality, asserting that moral judgments depend entirely on an individual's personal feelings, opinions, or perspective.

Meta-Ethical Nature of Subjectivism

It focuses entirely on understanding the linguistic nature and source of moral judgments rather than providing specific rules on how people should live.

Simple Subjectivism

A variant where moral judgments are based on personal feelings; saying an action is wrong merely expresses personal disapproval.

Individualist Subjectivism

A variant where each person decides what is morally right or wrong based completely on their own personal beliefs and values.

Moral Relativism (Subjectivism variant)

The premise that morality depends on cultural or societal standards, meaning what is acceptable in one culture may differ in another.

Ideal Observer Theory

A subjectivism variant stating that moral judgments are based on what a fully informed, rational, and completely unbiased hypothetical observer would decide.

Core Criticisms of Ethical Subjectivism

It makes moral statements less meaningful, suggests everyone is always right in their feelings, and makes disagreement exceptionally difficult to resolve.

Emotivism

A form of ethical non-cognitivism arguing that moral statements are not factual claims, but are simply expressions of a person's emotions, feelings, or attitudes used to influence behavior.

Linguistic Function of Emotivism

The belief that moral language is used not to state objective truths, but to express internal emotional approval or disapproval and persuade others to agree.

Emotivism Paradigm Example

Saying "Capital punishment is wrong" is not stating a fact, but is simply expressing personal emotional disapproval and encouraging others to adopt the same view.

Core Criticisms of Emotivism

It turns moral disagreements into raw emotional arguments, makes resolution rely strictly on persuasion, and completely ignores the role of reason.

Decision Guideline 1: Don't accept the problem as given

Avoid considering choices in isolation or letting how they are framed sway decisions; generate multiple options and assess them against core beliefs.

Decision Guideline 2: Listen to both your heart and head

Acknowledge that feelings like disgust or shame signal boundary lines, but always reflect on the underlying sources of those feelings.

Decision Guideline 3: Watch your language

Avoid sugarcoating actions that negatively affect others, as how we name things can expose or hide the true nature of actions and consequences.