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The Error Theory of Metaethics II

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Relying on yesterday's prelude, let's dive right in.

If I understand it correctly, the error theory holds that (1) cognitivism is right about what ethical statements try to do but, (2) cognitivism is wrong in that ethical statements ALWAYS fail to do it, to convey knowledge.

Error theorists rather boldly refuse to re-interpret such errors in non-cognitivist fashion to turn them into anything that could be non-erroneous.

An ethical statement in the pertinent sense says that some normative predicate is true of some subject.

The classic text for error theory is J.L. Mackie, ETHICS: INVENTING RIGHT AND WRONG (1977). It contends that there are no true statements with normative predicates -- that is, of the form "X is just" or "X is a breach of trust."

In arguing for this view, Mackie coined the phrase, "the argument from queerness." He contended that ethical statements could possibly be right only if ethical facts somehow "supervene" over natural facts, like a protective film being draped over a couch. The normative predicates have to be something in addition to predicates that describe, say, physical and biological reality. But, he said, such a notion of supervenience is quite queer, that is, metaphysically mysterious. Better to take the film off and just use the couch.

Mackie hasn't drawn a lot of cries of "Aha!" or "Ditto!" from other philosophers. But he isn't alone in this view either. Bart Streumer took his side just this year in UNBELIEVABLE ERRORS. Streumer is affiliated with the University of Groningen in The Netherlands.

I will write something soon about why I believe the error theory to be itself an error. But not tomorrow -- I've something else planned.


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