Freedom and Reason

R.M. Hare's Freedom and Reason (1963) argues that moral judgments are prescriptions, not mere expressions of attitude. He posits that moral freedom lies in the individual's choice of prescription, meaning no one can definitively dictate right or wrong to another.12

However, Hare also asserts that moral judgments must be "universalizable." This means that if one judges an action as wrong, they must also judge any relevantly similar action as wrong. This principle, influenced by the Golden Rule and Kant's categorical imperative, allows for reasoning about moral judgments. For example, a Nazi claiming the right to kill Jewish people must also accept being killed if they were of Jewish origin. While universalizability provides a powerful tool against certain moral judgments, Hare acknowledges its limits, as fanaticism can override rational application.12