Who is GE Moore in Philosophy?
GE Moore, whose full name is George Edward Moore, was a British philosopher who lived between 1873 and 1958. He is considered one of the main representatives of the philosophical movement known as ethical realism. Moore contributed significantly to analytic philosophy and is recognized for his theories on ethics, epistemology and metaphysics.
Formation and Influences
GE Moore was born in Upper Norwood, a region south of London, on November 4, 1873. He studied at the University of Cambridge, where he came into contact with important philosophers of the time, such as Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein. These encounters profoundly influenced Moore's thinking and led him to develop his own philosophical theories.
Main Contributions
One of GE Moore's main contributions to philosophy was his defense of ethical realism. He argued that there are objective moral truths independent of individual opinions. Moore believed that ethics cannot be reduced to empirical facts or mere expressions of subjective feelings, but rather that there are universal and immutable moral principles.
Another important contribution by Moore was his critique of absolute idealism, a philosophical current that argues that reality is made up only of ideas and that there is no external reality independent of the mind. Moore argued that this view was incoherent and contradictory, as it denied the existence of material objects and the possibility of knowing them.
Theory of Knowledge
GE Moore also made important contributions to the theory of knowledge. He defended the existence of common knowledge, that is, knowledge that is acquired directly and immediately, without the need for justification or argumentation. Moore believed that it is possible to know certain basic truths, such as the existence of the external world and the existence of other minds, without the need for additional proof or evidence.
Furthermore, Moore developed the concept of “negative proof”, which consists of showing that a statement is false by presenting a counterexample. He argued that, to prove a statement false, it is enough to find a single case in which it does not apply. This approach was an important contribution to logic and epistemology.
Metaphysics
In the area of metaphysics, GE Moore defended the existence of mind-independent material objects. He argued that physical objects have a real existence and that they do not depend on human perception or thought to exist. Moore also criticized the idealist view that reality is made up only of ideas, stating that this view was incoherent and contradictory.
Furthermore, Moore developed the theory of “intrinsic good”, which argues that some things are intrinsically good, regardless of the consequences they may generate. He argued that the intrinsic value of certain things, such as happiness and beauty, is an objective fact and does not depend on individual opinions.
Influence and Legacy
Throughout his career, GE Moore exerted a great influence on analytic philosophy and on several later philosophers. His ideas and theories continue to be discussed and studied to this day. Moore was also one of the founders of the Cambridge Philosophical Society and played an important role in training a new generation of philosophers.
His work influenced philosophers such as Ludwig Wittgenstein, JL Austin and RM Hare, among others. Moore is recognized as one of the main representatives of ethical realism and his contributions to ethics, epistemology and metaphysics are widely studied and debated.
Conclusion
In summary, GE Moore was a British philosopher who played a fundamental role in the development of analytical philosophy and ethical realism. His contributions to ethics, epistemology and metaphysics are widely recognized and continue to be discussed to this day. Moore left an important legacy for philosophy and his influence can be seen in the work of several later philosophers.
