Ethical subjectivism

Ethical Subjectivism

Ethical subjectivism is a meta-ethical theory that proposes that moral judgments are statements of one's feelings or attitudes, and that they do not contain objective truths. This theory suggests that what is "right" or "wrong" is entirely dependent on individual preferences and emotions.

Overview

Ethical subjectivism posits that moral statements are not about facts in the world but are expressions of personal attitudes. For example, when someone says "Stealing is wrong," according to ethical subjectivism, they are merely expressing their disapproval of stealing, rather than stating a fact about the world.

Historical Background

The roots of ethical subjectivism can be traced back to the Scottish Enlightenment and philosophers such as David Hume. Hume argued that moral distinctions are not derived from reason but from sentiment. In his view, reason is the "slave of the passions," and moral judgments are based on how we feel about actions and behaviors.

Key Concepts

Emotivism

A related theory is emotivism, which suggests that moral language is used to express emotions and to influence others' actions. Emotivism was popularized by philosophers such as A.J. Ayer and Charles L. Stevenson. According to emotivism, saying "Murder is wrong" is akin to saying "Boo to murder!" or "I disapprove of murder."

Subjective Relativism

Ethical subjectivism is often associated with subjective relativism, which holds that moral judgments are true or false relative to individuals. This means that what is morally right for one person may not be morally right for another, depending on their personal beliefs and feelings.

Criticisms

Ethical subjectivism faces several criticisms:

• **Moral Disagreement:** Critics argue that ethical subjectivism cannot adequately account for moral disagreements. If moral judgments are merely expressions of personal attitudes, then it seems impossible for people to genuinely disagree about moral issues.

• **Moral Progress:** Another criticism is that ethical subjectivism makes it difficult to explain the concept of moral progress. If moral truths are subjective, then it is unclear how societies can improve morally over time.

• **Moral Objectivity:** Many philosophers argue that ethical subjectivism fails to capture the objective nature of moral claims. They contend that some moral truths are universal and not dependent on individual feelings.

Related Theories

Ethical subjectivism is often contrasted with other meta-ethical theories such as:

• Moral realism, which holds that there are objective moral facts.
• Cultural relativism, which suggests that moral truths are relative to cultural norms rather than individual preferences.

Conclusion

Ethical subjectivism offers a perspective on morality that emphasizes the role of individual feelings and attitudes. While it provides an explanation for the diversity of moral opinions, it also faces significant challenges in accounting for moral disagreement and the possibility of objective moral truths.

See Also

• Moral relativism
• Normative ethics
• Meta-ethics

References

• Hume, David. A Treatise of Human Nature.
• Ayer, A.J. Language, Truth, and Logic.
• Stevenson, Charles L. Ethics and Language.