The Moore the Merrier

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Philosophy Now
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The Moore the Merrier

Post by Philosophy Now »

Gary Cox opens up G.E. Moore’s ethics, and his open question argument.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/143/The_Moore_the_Merrier
owl of Minerva
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Re: The Moore the Merrier

Post by owl of Minerva »

There is some truth in Hume's view and also in Moore's view. It is not a question of either/or but a synthesis of both. The problem with empiricists is that they equate reality with experience and equate human experience with animal experience, with what happens in nature which is governed by laws and instinct. The laws of nature, mathematics and ideas are abstractions. Morality; what is good, is an abstraction. An abstraction is impersonal, it does not take sides. it does not enter the province of forces until it becomes relative in humans where action is required. Then it is subject to the strong, weak and neutral forces with the neutral force enabling choice. Personal feelings or emotion would bias choice, cool reason devoid of feeling would rob it of its relevance. Ethics would have to hew closely to abstract ideas in a situation that is relative in order for the best choice to be made; as close to the ideal as possible. A synthesis of calm reason and calm feeling could be a definition of intuitive thought.
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