Emotive Theory in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy

Soliman, Hesham Saleh

doi:10.21608/jealex.2021.168656

Emotive Theory in Modern and Contemporary Philosophy

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Hesham Saleh Soliman

Assistant Professor of Modern Philosophy - Department of Social Sciences - Faculty of Education - Alexandria University

10.21608/jealex.2021.168656

Abstract

The research deals with a brief presentation of the emergence of the emotive theory, and the reason that led some philosophers to adopt this theory, and sheds light on the criticism that the emotivism was exposed, especially by the American philosopher "Brandt". The research tries to provide a fair evaluation of the emotive theory by addressing the following elements:
1- The emergence of Emotivism.
2- The emotive theory as a product of Emotivism.
3- The emotive meaning.
4- Brandt's critique of Emotivism.
5- Evaluation of the emotive theory.
Through the use of the critical method, we arrive at that the emotive theory, like any theory, has weaknesses, but in spite of that , it has a great contribution to emphasizing the influential side with regard to the topic of value, whether in aesthetics or ethics, and highlighting the emotive function of words, especially in The moral context.

Keywords

References

Robinson,Richard, H.J Paton and R.C Cross,The Emotive Theory of Ethics , Proceedings of The Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volume, Vol.22,Logical Positivisms and Ethics,Wiley on behalf of The Aristotlian Society,1948,p.79.

(2) Ibid,p.140.

(3)Adams,E.M,A Critique of The Emotive Theory of Ethical Terms, The Journal of Philosophy,Vol.46,No.17(Aug),Journal of Philosophy,1949, pp.549,553&A.J Ayer,Language,Truth and Logic,Dover,New York, 1936,Ch.6& Stevenson ,C. L. Ethics and Language, New Haven: Yale

University Press ,1944,p.19

(4) Warnock. G.J.,MA,Contemporary Moral Philosophy,Macmillan and co

LTD,London,1969,p.17

(5) ساميةعبدالرحمن،الميتافيزيقابينالرفضوالتأييد،ب .ن،2000م،ص54.

(6) Warnock. G.J.,MA,Contemporary Moral Philosophy,p.18.

(7) Ibid,pp.18:19.

(8) Brandt,Richard B,The Emotive Theory of Ethics,The Philosophical Review, Vol.59, No.3(Jul), Duke University Press on behalf of Philosophical Review,1950, p.503.

(9) Ibid,pp.317:318.& Stevenson ,C. L. Ethics and Language, New Haven: Yale University Press ,1944,p.18.

(10) Stevenson ,C. L,Brandt’s Questions about Emotive Ethics,The Philosophical Review,Vol.59,No.4(Oct),Duk University press on behalf of philosophical Review,1950,pp.533:534.

(11) Brandt,Richard B,Stevenson’s Defense of the Emotive Theory, The Philosophical Review,Vol.59,No.4(Oct.), Duk University press on behalf of philosophical Review,1950,pp.539:540.

(12) Brandt,Richard B, Ethical Theory , Englewood cliff,N.J.Prentice Hall,Inc ,1959,pp.217:218

(13) Ibid,pp.219:220

(14) Op.Cit,p.220.

(15) Warnock. G.J.,MA,Contemporary Moral Philosophy,p.20.

(16) Tomas,Vincent,Ethical Disagreemens and The Emotive Theory of Values,Mind,Vol.60,No.238,(Apr.),Oxford University press on behalf of The Mind Association,1951,p.205.

(17) Warnock. G.J.,MA,Contemporary Moral Philosophy,p.21.

(18) Ibid,pp.233:235

(19) Freeman. Stephen J.,Ethics An introduction to philosophy and practice, Wadsworth,2000, p.44-47.

(20) Warnock. G.J.,MA,Contemporary Moral Philosophy,p.36.

(21) Moor,Asher,The Emotive Theory and Rational Method in Moral Controversy,Mind,Vol.60,No.238.(Apr),Oxford university press on behalf of The Mind Association,1951,p.233

(22) Savery, Barnett,The Rmotive Theory of Truth, Mind,Vol.64,No.256 (Oct.),Oxford University Press on behalf of Mind Association, 1955, pp.513,521.

(23) Schuster,Cynthia A., C.l Lewies and Emotive Theory of Value,or, Should Empirical Ethics declare Bankruptcy?,the Journal of Philosophy,Vol.54,No.7,(Mar),Journal of Philosophy,1957,pp.180,181.

(24) Lichtenberg,Judith,Ought and Cans: Badness,Wrongness, and The Limits of Ethical Theory, Philosophical Topics,Vol.38,No.1,Ethics (Spring),University of Arkanasas press,2010,p.139.