Intuitionism
Summary
Intuitionism is the meta-ethical view that moral truths are self-evident and known through intuition—a direct, non-sensory perception of moral facts. G.E. Moore argued that "good" is a simple, non-natural property we can just see is true, like seeing yellow. Intuitionists claim that basic moral principles (e.g., "torture is wrong") are synthetic a priori truths—we know them independently of experience, but they tell us something about the world. Intuitionism is a form of moral realism (moral facts exist) and cognitivism (moral language expresses beliefs). Critics like A.J. Ayer argue intuitionism is meaningless because we can't verify intuitions.
Detailed Explanation
What is Intuitionism?
Definition
Intuitionism is the view that moral truths are known through intuition—a direct, non-sensory perception of moral facts.
Key Intuitionist Beliefs
- Moral language is cognitive: Expresses beliefs that can be true/false.
- Moral facts are objective: Exist independently of us.
- We discover moral truths through intuition: Not reason or observation.
Key Intuitionist Philosophers
1. G.E. Moore (1873-1958)
Moore argued that "good" is a simple, non-natural, indefinable property that we know through intuition. He used the open question argument to show that goodness cannot be defined in natural terms.
2. H.A. Prichard (1871-1947)
Prichard argued that moral obligations are self-evident intuitions. When we see someone in need, we just know we have a duty to help.
3. W.D. Ross (1877-1971)
Ross developed prima facie duties—self-evident moral obligations that can be overridden by other duties. For example, "keep promises" is a prima facie duty, but may be overridden by "prevent harm".
Moore's Intuitionism
The Simple, Indefinable Property of Goodness
Moore argued that "good" is like the color yellow—it's a simple property we can't define, but we can just see it.
- We intuit that pleasure is good, just as we see that yellow is yellow.
- No definition is needed; we grasp it directly.
The Open Question Argument
Moore used this to show that goodness cannot be natural:
- If "good" = "pleasure," then "Is pleasure good?" would mean "Is pleasure pleasure?"—a closed question.
- But "Is pleasure good?" is an open question we can debate, so goodness ≠ pleasure.
Prichard's Intuitionism
Duty as Self-Evident
Prichard argued that moral obligations are intuited directly.
- When we see someone drowning, we just know we have a duty to help.
- This knowledge is immediate and non-inferential—we don't reason to it, we see it.
Ross's Prima Facie Duties
Multiple Self-Evident Duties
Ross argued there are several prima facie duties we intuit:
Fidelity
Keep promises
Reparation
Make amends for wrongs
Gratitude
Return favors
Non-maleficence
Do no harm
Beneficence
Help others
Self-improvement
Develop yourself
Justice
Distribute goods fairly
How They Work
- These duties are self-evident and known by intuition.
- They can conflict (e.g., keeping a promise vs. preventing harm).
- In conflict, we must weigh which duty is more stringent in the particular situation.
Intuitionism vs. Other Meta-Ethical Views
Intuitionism (Moore, Prichard, Ross)
- Cognitivist: Moral statements express beliefs that can be true/false.
- Realist: Moral facts exist objectively.
- Non-naturalist: Moral facts are not natural facts (they're intuited, not observed).
Naturalism (Bentham, Mill)
- Cognitivist and Realist, but moral facts are natural facts.
Emotivism (Ayer)
- Non-cognitivist: Moral statements express emotions, not beliefs.
- Anti-realist: No moral facts exist.
Strengths of Intuitionism
Respects Moral Experience
Captures how we often just know something is wrong (e.g., torture). Explains why moral disagreement feels deep and non-negotiable.
Objective and Realist
Moral truths are real and independent of our opinions. Not subject to cultural relativism.
Practical
Ross's prima facie duties give a workable framework for moral reasoning.
Weaknesses of Intuitionism
Verification Problem
How do we verify that our intuitions are correct? Different people have different intuitions.
Disagreement
If moral truths are self-evident, why is there so much moral disagreement? Example: Some people intuit that abortion is wrong; others intuit it's permissible.
Relies on Mysterious Faculty
What is this "intuition" and how does it work? Sounds like a mysterious, unscientific sixth sense.
Cultural Relativism Challenge
Intuitions seem shaped by culture. If intuitions vary by culture, how can they be objective?
Scholarly Perspectives
G.E. Moore
"I maintain that whenever we consider an action as a duty, we regard it as possessing the property of rightness, and that we recognise this property by intuition. When we consider others' actions as duties, we recognise the property of rightness in them; when we consider our own actions as duties, we recognise the property of rightness in them."
Moore's statement of intuitionism—we just know rightness through intuition, not reasoning.
H.A. Prichard
"I maintain that 'right' or 'duty' are not definitions of one another; and I also maintain that to ask what is the nature of our knowledge of duty is to ask an unanswerable question. We recognise duty by a peculiar kind of intuitive judgment—not by any reasoning."
Prichard argues that moral obligations are self-evident intuitions that cannot be derived from reasoning.
Key Takeaways
Intuitionism = Moral truths known through direct intuition
A direct, non-sensory perception of moral facts, like seeing that torture is wrong.
Moore: "Good" is simple and non-natural
We intuit goodness like seeing yellow—it cannot be defined in natural terms.
Prichard: Moral duties are self-evident
When we see someone in need, we just know we have a duty to help.
Ross: Multiple prima facie duties
Fidelity, reparation, gratitude, non-maleficence, beneficence, self-improvement, justice—that can conflict and must be weighed.
Open Question Argument
If "good" = "pleasure," then "Is pleasure good?" would be closed, but it's open, so goodness is non-natural.
Cognitivist and Realist
Moral statements express beliefs about objective facts, unlike emotivism.
Quick Reference: Intuitionism at a Glance
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Core Claim | Moral truths are known through intuition |
| Key Philosophers | Moore (good as non-natural), Prichard (duty is self-evident), Ross (prima facie duties) |
| Moral Language | Cognitive (expresses beliefs that can be true/false) |
| Meta-Ethical Type | Cognitivist + Realist + Non-Naturalist |
| How We Know Morality | Through direct, non-sensory intuition |
| Ross's Prima Facie Duties | Fidelity, Reparation, Gratitude, Non-maleficence, Beneficence, Self-improvement, Justice |
| Strengths | Respects moral experience, objective and realist, practical |
| Weaknesses | Verification problem, disagreement, mysterious faculty, cultural variation |