Philosophy · Year 12 · Moral Philosophy: Meta-ethics · 5.º Período

Moral Anti-realism

Students explore theories that deny the existence of objective moral facts. They will analyse Mackie's error theory and Ayer's emotivism.

TL;DR:Moral Anti-realism challenges the idea that moral facts exist at all. Students examine two major theories: Emotivism (A.J. Ayer) and Error Theory (J.L. Mackie). Emotivism suggests that moral statements are just expressions of emotion (the 'Boo/Hurrah' theory), while Error Theory argues that while we *try* to speak about objective moral facts, those facts don't exist, making all moral claims false.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• AQA 7172: Moral Philosophy 3.2.3.2

About This Topic

Moral Anti-realism challenges the idea that moral facts exist at all. Students examine two major theories: Emotivism (A.J. Ayer) and Error Theory (J.L. Mackie). Emotivism suggests that moral statements are just expressions of emotion (the 'Boo/Hurrah' theory), while Error Theory argues that while we *try* to speak about objective moral facts, those facts don't exist, making all moral claims false.

This unit is crucial for the AQA specification as it introduces the 'Argument from Queerness' and the 'Argument from Relativity'. Students must evaluate whether morality can survive if it is 'just' a human invention. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the patterns of moral disagreement through role plays and 'Queerness' investigations.

Key Questions

1. What does Mackie mean by the 'argument from queerness'?
2. Are moral statements merely expressions of emotion?
3. Can moral anti-realism account for moral progress?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Students often think Emotivism means 'anything goes'.

What to Teach Instead

Emotivism describes *what we are doing* when we talk about morals; it doesn't necessarily say we should stop having moral feelings. Active 'translation' exercises help students see that Emotivism is a theory of language, not a recommendation for behavior.

Common Misconception

Students think Mackie's 'Error Theory' says we should all be evil.

What to Teach Instead

Mackie says our *claims* to objectivity are an error, not that the *actions* themselves don't matter to us. Peer-led discussion on 'useful fictions' can help students understand how we can have morality without 'facts'.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game

The Boo/Hurrah Game

Students are given a list of moral statements (e.g., 'Stealing is wrong'). They must 'translate' them into Emotive language (e.g., 'Boo to stealing!'). They then discuss what is 'lost' in this translation.

20 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle

The Argument from Queerness

Groups are asked to imagine what an 'objective moral property' would actually look like. If it's not physical, how does it 'push' us to act? They present their 'Queer Object' to the class to show why Mackie finds them so unlikely.

35 min·Small Groups

Formal Debate

The Argument from Relativity

One group uses the fact that different cultures have different morals to prove morality is 'made up' (Anti-realism). The other group argues that there are 'universal' morals underneath the differences (Realism).

30 min·Whole Class

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Emotivism?

Often called the 'Boo/Hurrah' theory, Emotivism (A.J. Ayer) claims that moral statements do not state facts. Instead, they are just expressions of the speaker's emotions and an attempt to influence the emotions of others.

What is Mackie's 'Argument from Queerness'?

Mackie argues that if objective moral values existed, they would be 'queer' (strange) entities unlike anything else in the universe. They would have to be non-physical yet somehow 'tell' us how to act, which he finds scientifically implausible.

What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching Anti-realism?

Using 'Cultural Comparison' stations is very effective. By looking at wildly different moral codes from history and different societies, students 'experience' the Argument from Relativity. This makes Mackie's claim, that morality is a reflection of 'ways of life' rather than objective truth, much more persuasive.

Does Error Theory mean that 'Murder is wrong' is a false statement?

Yes. According to Mackie, the statement 'Murder is wrong' implies that there is an objective property of 'wrongness' attached to murder. Since he believes no such properties exist, the statement is technically false.