Prescriptivism (Noun)
Meaning 1
(ethics) a doctrine holding that moral statements prescribe appropriate attitudes and behavior.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- Prescriptivism is a moral philosophy that argues that moral statements are not simply descriptive, but rather instructive, guiding our actions and attitudes.
- The philosopher's theory of prescriptivism posits that moral judgments are not objective facts, but rather subjective prescriptions for how we ought to behave.
- Critics of prescriptivism argue that it leads to moral relativism, where what is right and wrong is determined solely by individual or cultural preferences.
- In the context of ethics, prescriptivism is often contrasted with descriptivism, which holds that moral statements describe objective moral facts rather than prescribing behavior.
- The concept of prescriptivism has been influential in shaping moral debates around issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
(linguistics) a doctrine supporting or promoting prescriptive linguistics.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.