PHILOS 2 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Deontological Ethics, Moral Relativism, Logical Positivism
Document Summary
Ayer was in a group called the logical positivist, it was the smartest academic group at the time. Their central claim was that only statements that can be analytically or empirically verifiable are things with cognitive meaning. Analytic (true or false by definition) ex: bachelor = unmarried man. Empirical (true or false in testable or observable ways) >if a statement isn"t verifiable it isn"t a real proposition (pseudo-statement) and is cognitively meaningless, these take many forms i. e. emotive statements (emotions) > they can be proven neither analytically or empirically therefore they are pseudo- statements and cognitively meaningless. >the good refers to utility refers to greatest amount of pleasure over pain. Ayer seeks to offer naturalist reduction of ethical terms or concepts. Naturalist ethical term would be utilitarianism which is good = pleasure, bad = pain. Is this a satisfactory definition for good and bad? i. e. bachelor = unmarried man.
