Semantic Import of Moral Terms: Cognitivism vs. Noncognitivism

Abstract

An important discussion in the area of metaethics is about the meaning of ethical terms which in turn relates to the epistemic status of moral judgements. The purpose of this paper is to understand the specific approach towards ‘meaning’ when there is a discussion about meaning of a term; thereby investigating the claim towards epistemic import of a judgement, if at all justified. The paper seeks to interconnect the two independent philosophical approaches to ethical language and hence prove that there is no convergence or divergence strictly as to relate the meaning of an ethical term with the judgement being cognitive or non-cognitive....