G. E. Moore
G.E. Moore was a British philosopher whose commitment to common sense, meticulous analysis of philosophical concepts, and rigorous argumentative style made him one of the founders of analytic philosophy. His 'open question argument' against naturalistic definitions of 'good,' his defense of common sense against philosophical skepticism, and his influence as a teacher and colleague at Cambridge (alongside Russell and Wittgenstein) were decisive for the development of 20th-century philosophy.
Key Ideas
Key Contributions
- ● Developed the open question argument: any proposed naturalistic definition of 'good' can always be meaningfully questioned, proving that 'good' is indefinable
- ● Argued that 'good' is a simple, unanalyzable, non-natural property known by intuition (ethical intuitionism)
- ● Defended common sense against philosophical skepticism — the truths of common sense are more certain than any philosophical argument against them
- ● Helped found analytic philosophy through his insistence on clarity, precision, and the careful analysis of concepts
- ● Wrote 'The Refutation of Idealism,' a key paper in the break from British Idealism
Core Questions
Key Claims
- ✓ Good is indefinable — it is a simple, non-natural property that cannot be identified with any natural quality (the open question argument)
- ✓ The naturalistic fallacy is the error of defining 'good' in terms of some natural property like pleasure, desire, or evolutionary fitness
- ✓ Common sense propositions ('there exist material objects,' 'the earth has existed for many years') are more certain than any philosophical argument against them
- ✓ Idealism rests on a confusion — from 'the object of experience is inseparable from the experience of it,' it does not follow that the object is identical with the experience
Biography
Life
George Edward Moore was born on November 4, 1873, in London. He studied classics and philosophy at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he became friends with Bertrand Russell. His early paper 'The Refutation of Idealism' (1903) and his book Principia Ethica (1903) established his reputation.
Moore spent his career at Cambridge, becoming Professor of Mental Philosophy and Logic in 1925 and editing Mind (1921–1947). His influence was felt less through a philosophical system than through his relentless demand for clarity and his ability to see philosophical puzzles where others saw truisms. Wittgenstein greatly admired Moore's philosophical seriousness.
Moore died on October 24, 1958.
Legacy
Moore's defense of common sense, his open question argument, and his analytical methodology profoundly influenced the course of Anglo-American philosophy.
Methods
Notable Quotes
"{'text': 'Everything is what it is, and not another thing.', 'source': 'Principia Ethica, Preface (quoting Bishop Butler)', 'year': 1903}"
"{'text': 'Here is one hand... and here is another.', 'source': 'Proof of an External World', 'year': 1939}"
Major Works
- Principia Ethica Treatise (1903)
- The Refutation of Idealism Essay (1903)
- A Defence of Common Sense Essay (1925)
- Proof of an External World Essay (1939)
Influenced
- Ludwig Wittgenstein · influence
Sources
- Principia Ethica (Cambridge University Press)
- Moore by Thomas Baldwin (Routledge)
- The Cambridge Companion to Moore (ed. Susana Nuccetelli and Gary Seay)
External Links
Translations
Discussions
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