How did Charles L. Stevenson explain the purpose of moral language?

Charles L. Stevenson, a key figure in the development of emotivism, argued that moral language does not function to state objective facts. Instead, he proposed that moral judgments serve two primary purposes:12

• Expressing Feelings: Moral language is used to express the speaker's own feelings of approval or disapproval toward an action or person.23
• Influencing Others: Beyond mere expression, moral judgments are intended to have an emotive impact, encouraging others to adopt the speaker's attitudes.23

Stevenson distinguished the factual content a sentence might convey from its intended emotive impact. He argued that this persuasive function explains why people engage in moral arguments; it is important to individuals that others share their attitudes on significant issues, such as human rights, whereas they may simply agree to differ on matters of personal taste. By focusing on this emotive and persuasive role, Stevenson maintained that moral judgments are neither true nor false, as they do not describe the world but rather reflect and attempt to shape human attitudes.23