Definition
Charles Leslie Stevenson (June 27 1908 – March 14 1979) was an American analytic philosopher best known for his pioneering work in meta‑ethics, particularly the theory of emotivism, and for his contributions to aesthetics.
Overview
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Stevenson earned his A.B. in English literature from Yale University in 1930. While traveling to the University of Cambridge that same year, he encountered philosophy in a bookshop and subsequently pursued philosophical studies at Cambridge under G. E. Moore, C. D. Broad, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. He returned to the United States, completing his Ph.D. at Yale in 1937 with a dissertation on the philosophy of language.
Stevenson taught at Yale (1939–1946), where his advocacy of emotivism contributed to a tenure denial, and then at the University of Michigan (1946–1977), later joining Bennington College (1977–1979). His major publications include Ethics and Language (1944), Further Reflections on Moral Philosophy (1958), and The Emotive Meaning of Moral Terms (1960). These works argue that moral statements do not describe facts but express the speaker’s emotions and aim to influence the attitudes of others—a position known as emotivism, a form of noncognitivism in moral philosophy.
In aesthetics, Stevenson examined the language of art criticism and the expressive function of aesthetic judgments, extending his meta‑ethical insights to the philosophy of art.
Etymology/Origin
The surname “Stevenson” is an English patronymic meaning “son of Steven,” while the given name “Charles” derives from the Germanic Karl meaning “free man.” No special etymological significance beyond these standard origins is attached to the philosopher’s name.
Characteristics
- Emotivism: Stevenson maintained that moral utterances function primarily to express approval or disapproval and to persuade, rather than to state propositions that can be true or false.
- Noncognitivism: He argued that ethical language lacks truth‑value, positioning moral judgments outside the realm of factual description.
- Analytic Approach: His work exemplifies the mid‑20th‑century analytic tradition, emphasizing linguistic analysis and logical clarity.
- Aesthetic Theory: Stevenson applied similar linguistic analysis to art, contending that aesthetic judgments also have expressive and persuasive dimensions.
- Influence: His theories shaped subsequent debates in meta‑ethics, influencing philosophers such as A. J. Ayer, R. M. Honderich, and contemporary noncognitivists.
Related Topics
- Emotivism
- Noncognitivism
- Meta‑ethics
- Analytic philosophy
- Moral language
- Aesthetics (philosophy of art)
- C. K. Ogden and I. A. Richards (collaborators in early 20th‑century language theory)
- A. J. Ayer (contemporary noncognitivist)
References: Wikipedia entry “Charles Stevenson (philosopher)”; Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Charles Leslie Stevenson”; Encyclopædia Britannica, “Charles Stevenson”.