Summary
Summary Michael Smith - Moral realism
- Course
- Institution
Notes on Michael Smith's chapter 'Moral Realism' in 'The Blackwell Guide to Ethical Theory'
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
patrickfleming
Reviews received
Content preview
The Blackwell Guide to Ethical TheoryChapter One: Moral Realism (Michael Smith)
Moral Realism vs. Nihilism vs. Expressivism
● Moral realism:
○ moral claims are capable of being either true or false
○ some moral claims are true
● Nihilism/Error Theory:
○ when we make moral claims we intend to say things capable of being
true or false (Smith claims this is the same as moral realism’s first commitment, but
surely it isn’t - it’s just a claim about intentions. if it is the same claim, then it doesn’t
look like nihilism - no truth)
○ all moral claims are false, because rightness and wrongness are not
features that acts possess
● Expressivism
○ moral claims are not intended to be true or false - they are intended to
express feelings about acts/people etc
○ because it isn’t presupposed that rightness and wrongness can be
properties of acts, expressivism can claim that moral claims are neither true nor false
● Nihilism sees a disparity between the way we talk and the way things are - we speak as if
rightness and wrongness were features of acts, but they are not
○ hence it demands a reform of moral practice: when we know the claims
are false, we should stop making them
● Expressivism doesn’t require reform, because it claims moral practice doesn’t presuppose
that falsity in the first place
● Two questions:
○ are moral claims capable of being true or false?
■ if yes, then expressivism refuted
○ are any moral claims in fact true?
■ if yes, then nihilism refuted
An Initial Difficulty
● When we say ‘torturing babies is wrong’ that seems to be equivalent to ‘“Torturing babies
is wrong” is true’
○ does this prove realism? if so, then the mere fact that we have moral
commitments would prove realism
■ maybe the problem is that we say these claims are true
loosely speaking, not strictly speaking
Minimalism
● The above rests on a minimalist (disquotational) theory of truth, whereby ‘s is true’ is
equivalent to, means the same as, ‘s’
○ hence we have a position: Minimal Moral Realism claims that:
■ when we make a moral claim ‘s’, s is true strictly
speaking, not loosely speaking
■ some of these moral claims are true
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller patrickfleming. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.19. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
78252 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now