Why don’t we separate the semantic from the metaphysic question? In the question "is morality preference?" 'morality' can mean "moral language" or "moral facts". So there are two possible questions: (i) what is the nature and status of moral claims? do moral claims have truth values at all or are they just expressions of preference which like exlamations ("boo!") do not have truth values. (ii) are there moral facts or are there just 'brute', natural facts?
Both questions are related but can be separated.
(i) Do moral statements make claims to truth?
(ii) Are there moral facts?
Now there are four possible combinations of answers to the two questions:
1) yes yes
2) no no
3) yes no
4) no... (read more)
Why don’t we separate the semantic from the metaphysic question? In the question "is morality preference?" 'morality' can mean "moral language" or "moral facts". So there are two possible questions: (i) what is the nature and status of moral claims? do moral claims have truth values at all or are they just expressions of preference which like exlamations ("boo!") do not have truth values. (ii) are there moral facts or are there just 'brute', natural facts?
Both questions are related but can be separated.
(i) Do moral statements make claims to truth? (ii) Are there moral facts?
Now there are four possible combinations of answers to the two questions:
1) yes yes 2) no no 3) yes no 4) no... (read more)