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Must Metaethical Realism Make a Semantic Claim?
1Oxford University Littlegate House, St. Ebbe's Street,, Oxford, OX1 1PT, UK guy.kahane@philosophy.ox.ac.uk.
Journal of Moral Philosophy
|March 26, 2013
Summary
Meta-ethical realists may face a reverse possibility: antirealist discourse with objective values. This challenges traditional debates, suggesting metaphysical claims are key to meta-ethical realism, not just semantic ones.
Area of Science:
- Metaethics
- Moral Philosophy
- Metaphysical Realism
Background:
- John Mackie highlighted the distinction between semantic and metaphysical claims in meta-ethical realism.
- Mackie argued that while evaluative discourse may be objective, objective evaluative facts do not exist.
- This raises the possibility of antirealist discourse coexisting with objective values.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the 'reverse possibility' of antirealist discourse and objective values.
- To re-evaluate the traditional debate between meta-ethical realists and antirealists.
- To propose a revised understanding of the core tenets of meta-ethical realism.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical argumentation and conceptual analysis.
- Examination of Mackie's distinction between semantic and metaphysical claims.
- Defense of the intelligibility and coherence of the 'reverse possibility'.
Main Results:
- The 'reverse possibility' (antirealist discourse, objective values) is coherent and defensible.
- A realist's semantic claim is neither sufficient nor necessary for meta-ethical realism.
- Robust meta-ethical realism hinges primarily on a metaphysical claim.
Conclusions:
- Antirealists must directly challenge the metaphysical claims of realists, not just discourse.
- The debate between realism and antirealism requires a nuanced understanding of metaphysical commitments.
- This perspective reframes the conditions for establishing meta-ethical realism.
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