The Objectivity Article by Alexander Miller, Translated by Kaveh Behbahani

The following article is a translation by Kaveh Behbahani of the entry on objectivity in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. In this article, the distinguished moral philosopher Alexander Miller concisely describes various approaches to objectivity. However, for reading the final part of this note, familiarity with the concept of "rule-following" in the later Wittgenstein is helpful.

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Objectivity is one of the central concepts of metaphysics. Philosophers distinguish between objectivity and agreement: the mere fact that there is widespread agreement on the truth of "ice cream is delicious" is not a reason for it to be objective. But if objectivity is not merely agreement, then what is it? We often think that some claims are more objective than others, such that each requires a separate metaphysical description. For example, most of the time, ethical claims are considered less objective than claims about the shapes of physical objects of medium size. [For instance,] "Murder is wrong" is considered less objective than "That table is square." Philosophers disagree on how to register and record the intuitive differences concerning objectivity. Those known as non-cognitivists hold that ethical claims, strictly speaking, are not even apt to be true or false. Ethical claims do not record facts and instead express a desire or disposition on the part of the speaker. Some other philosophers (known as subjectivists) believe that ethical sentences are in some respects about human desires or dispositions. Subjectivists, contrary to non-cognitivists, consider ethical claims to be truth-apt claims, but the truth [/ falsity] of ethical claims relates to facts about human desires or dispositions. Philosophers referred to as anti-realists oppose non-cognitivism on the one hand and subjectivism on the other, and try to find another way to deny objectivity. On the other hand, quietists believe there is no significant way to distinguish between discourses in terms of their degree of objectivity...

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The Objectivity article by Alexander Miller, translated by Kaveh Behbahani

Article source: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Volume Seven, Objectivity entry

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