GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

THE SCOPE OF ETHICS 159
notion, Utilitarianism defines "right" with reference to
something else, namely, its ability to promote "good".
This, then, is our first distinction, the distinction between
Intuitionism and Utilitarianism.
(a) SuBjEcnvOT AND OsjECTivisT THEORIES. There is a
second distinction which cuts across the first, a distinction
between objcctivist and subjectivist ethical theories. The
words "objective" and "subjective", which constantly
occur in philosophical discussion, are used ia so many
and in such ambiguous senses that it is
pause
worth while to
for a moment in order to try to make clear the
senses in which they may be used with some degree of
precision. A subjective judgment we will define as a judgment
to the effect that the experience of the person making
the judgment is being modified in a certain way in other
words, that something is happening in or to "the subject".
An objective judgment we will define as a judgment to
the effect that the world external to the person judging
is characterized by a certain quality. Whether there can
be objective judgments in the sense defined may be a
matter of controversy. But, if there are such judgments,
we shall understand them to assert that the world is being,
has been, or will be characterized by such and such a
quality.
Examples of Subjective Judgments. Now most people
would be inclined to say that prima facie some judgments
are subjective, some objective. If X judges "these gooseberries
are sour", while Y judges "these gooseberries are
sweet", most people would say that what X and Y are
in fact judging about is not some quality which is char-
but. the
acterizing or is possessed by the gooseberries,
effects produced by the gooseberries on their respective
palates. The palates being different, the effects produced
are different, and, as a consequence, the qualities of the
experiences ofX and Y are different. Hence the judgment
"these gooseberries are sour" does not contradict the