Ethics
Thursday, 1/30
Emotivism

A Reading, Discussion Questions, and Exam Schedule handout was given out.

Emotivism- Moral Statements are not factual, but merely express subjective attitudes and preferences. Moral statements are neither True nor False.
Examples: Laughter, music, sports sloganeering "Go Raiders" has no true value.
Objections: 1)Some things seem wrong regardless of how people feel about them. 2)People seem to argue logically and at length about morality.

These are statements based on opinion: 1)"Capital Punishment is just." This is viewed as saying "I approve."
2)"Chocolate ice cream is good." This is viewed as saying "I like."

Layman: Atheists have no satisfactory answer to the question "why be moral?" Morality doesn't always pay for atheists.
Theists have a reason to be moral all the time-because no one escapes God's Eye and Judgement.
Objections:1)Karma could work w/o a God-still a religious view.
2)Assumes ethical or psychological egoism.
3)Humans have a cooperative nature, sense of community, predisposed to act in groups.
4)Which religion is right?

Arthur:"Morality is social"
Reasons to be moral:
-stay out of jail.
-avoid guilt.
-avoid reprisals and/or bad reputation.
Is this right?='s how would this look to others?

The Euphyphro problem: "Does God command things because they're right? Or are things right simply because God commands them?