Moore and Intuitionism

1
Lecture 2

• Moore and Intuitionism

2
Major Intuitionists and Their Works

• G. E. Moore (1873 1958)
• Significant ethical work Principia Ethica (1903)
  and Ethics (1912)
• H. A. Prichard (1871 1947)
• Significant ethical contribution Does Moral
  Philosophy Rest on a Mistake? (1912)
• W. D. Ross (1877 1971)

3
Moores Personal Characteristics

• Passion for Clarity
• Naïveté
• Cultural Significance

4
Moores Central Ideas (I)

• Definition is the key to Ethical Methodology
• The Simplicity and Non-naturalness of Goodness
• The Complexity of Obligation

5
Moores Central Ideas (II)

• The Naturalistic Fallacy
• The Open-Question Argument
• The Principle of Organic Unity
• The Method of Isolation

6
Open Question Argument

• The principle of definition A definition of the
  form, W means M, is a good definition just in
  case any question of the form, But is this M W?,
  is not a genuine question. It is closed by
  considerations of meaning.
• Suppose that I propose the following definition
  of good O is good means that O is what I
  desire to desire.
• But the question, This is something that I
  desire to desire, but is it good? is not closed.
  It can be taken seriously as a question by those
  who understand these terms.
• All attempts to define good meet the same fate.

7
Naturalistic Fallacy

• A. The fallacy committed by any argument that
  states or presupposes that good can be defined.
• B. Typical instances
• Good means pleasurable
• Good means approved by God
• Good means what is best for everyone concerned

8
The Principle of Organic Unity

• The total value of any whole is not merely the
  sum of the value of its parts.

9
The Method of Isolation

• In order to determine the intrinsic value of
  anything, it is best to consider that thing in
  isolation, insofar as is possible, from anything
  else.