Edvard Westermarck Critical Essay | Critical Essay by Timothy Stroup

Critical Essay by Timothy Stroup

SOURCE: "Soft Subjectivism," in Acta Philosophica Fennica, Vol. 34, 1982, pp. 99-119.

In the following excerpt, Stroup classifies Westermarck's system of beliefs as "soft subjectivism. "

I

The central question of moral philosophy, to which Edward Westermarck continually addressed himself, is whether moral judgments have objective validity. Can the statements which express our moral beliefs somehow be proved or conclusively established? Is there an objective moral order—a "realm" of moral facts—which justifies the claims we make about the conduct and character of ourselves and others?

Westermarck's answer is clearly negative. Against those who hold that fundamental moral principles are apprehended through acts of intuition or are necessary presuppositions which cannot be further derived, Westermarck maintained that "there can be no moral truth in the sense in which this term is generally understood," because "moral judgments are ultimately based, not on the intellect, but on emotions" and "no objectivity can come from...
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