Intuitionism and H. A. Prichard

Overview

Recall questions on moral laws and cognitivism, how a moral truth is discovered, fallibility, escaping the naturalistic fallacy, 'ought to do', two ways of thinking, and conflicting intuitions.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What does intuitionism claim about the existence of moral laws?

   Model answer

   It claims objective moral truths exist independently of human beings and are grasped directly by the mind rather than inferred from evidence.

2. 2

   Is intuitionism a cognitivist theory?

   Model answer

   Yes, it holds that moral statements are true or false and can be known, though not by empirical investigation.

3. 3

   How is a moral truth discovered on the intuitionist account?

   Model answer

   It is recognised directly by using the mind in an intuitive way, rather than being proved by argument or experiment.

4. 4

   What does intuitionism claim about the intuitive ability itself?

   Model answer

   It is innate and the same in every moral agent, part of the ordinary equipment of a human mind.

5. 5

   Why do intuitionists concede that intuition is not infallible?

   Model answer

   Sound moral intuition requires a mature mind, so an undeveloped or badly formed one can intuit wrongly.

6. 6

   How does intuitionism preserve objective moral value?

   Model answer

   Goodness is treated as a real property that intuition perceives, not as a projection of feeling or a social convention.

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