G.E. Moore

Definition

G.E. Moore was a British philosopher known for his work in ethics, particularly for his defense of non-naturalism and the open question argument. He emphasized the distinction between 'is' statements, which describe facts, and 'ought' statements, which express moral judgments, significantly impacting discussions about moral motivation and the is-ought problem.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Moore is best known for his book 'Principia Ethica,' where he argues against ethical naturalism and proposes that 'good' is a simple, indefinable quality.
2. He introduced the concept of the 'is-ought' problem, which highlights the difficulty of deriving moral obligations from factual statements.
3. Moore's distinction between descriptive and normative language laid the groundwork for future discussions in meta-ethics about how moral language functions.
4. His open question argument challenges any attempt to define moral terms in purely naturalistic terms, asserting that such definitions fail to capture their true meaning.
5. Moore's ideas have had a lasting influence on both analytic philosophy and contemporary ethical theories, shaping debates on moral motivation and normative ethics.

Review Questions

• How does G.E. Moore's open question argument challenge the relationship between descriptive statements and moral claims?
  • Moore's open question argument challenges the assumption that descriptive statements can adequately capture moral claims. He argues that for any proposed naturalistic definition of 'good,' it remains an open question whether that definition truly captures what is meant by goodness. This highlights that moral terms cannot be simply reduced to factual descriptions, suggesting a fundamental difference between 'is' statements and 'ought' statements.
• Evaluate how G.E. Moore's views on non-naturalism influence modern ethical discussions about moral realism.
  • G.E. Moore's advocacy for non-naturalism has significantly influenced modern ethical discussions, particularly in the realm of moral realism. By asserting that moral properties exist independently of natural properties, Moore's ideas provide a foundation for arguing that there are objective moral truths. This perspective encourages contemporary ethicists to explore the implications of morality existing outside empirical observation, thus shaping debates around moral obligations and ethical theories.
• Critically analyze G.E. Moore's contributions to ethics in light of contemporary challenges such as ethical subjectivism and relativism.
  • G.E. Moore's contributions to ethics serve as a robust counterpoint to contemporary challenges like ethical subjectivism and relativism. His insistence on the objectivity of moral values through non-naturalism provides a basis for arguing against subjective interpretations of morality. In a world where differing cultural norms often lead to relativistic views, Moore's work encourages a reevaluation of whether there are universal moral truths that transcend individual or societal beliefs, fostering deeper dialogue in ethics.

Related terms

Non-naturalism: The ethical theory that holds that moral properties are not reducible to natural properties and exist independently of human beliefs or feelings.

Open Question Argument: An argument formulated by Moore suggesting that no matter how many naturalistic definitions of good are proposed, it always remains an open question whether those definitions truly capture what is meant by 'good.'

Moral Realism:

The philosophical position that there are objective moral facts and values that exist independently of individual opinions or beliefs.