The starting point of subjectivism is the recognition that the individual thinking

person (the subject) is at the heart of all moral valuations. She is the one who is
confronted with the situation and is burdened with the need to make a decision or
judgment.

From this point, subjectivism keeps to the more radical claim that the individual is
the sole determinant of what is morally good or bad, right or wrong.
THINGS WE COMMONLY HEAR FROM A
SUBJECTIVIST:

- “No one can tell me what is right and wrong”

- “No one knows my situation better than myself”
- “I am entitled to my own opinion”
- “It is good if I say that it is good”
There is something appealing about the statements mentioned because they seem
to express a cherished sense of personal independence. But a close look at these
statements may reveal problems and in seeing these, we see the problems of
subjectivism.
“NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT IS RIGHT AND
WRONG”

In a sense, there is some validity to this. No one can compel another to accept a
certain value judgment if she herself does not concur with it. However, we know
that this statement cannot be taken as absolute.
We realize, in many instances, that we had maintained an idea or an opinion that
further discussion reveals it was actually erroneous. We realize that we can be
mistaken and that we can be corrected by others.
“NO ONE KNOWS MY SITUATION BETTER
THAN MYSELF”

Once again, in a sense, there is some validity to this. This particular person who is
put in a certain situation, which calls for a decision, has knowledge of the factors
that affect her situation and decision. But to take this fact as a ground for not
listening to others is to have a mentality that imagines that one’s own situation or
concern is so personal and unique that there is no way another person can possibly
understand her and give her any meaningful advice. But does not it make greater
sense to recognize the reality that many human experiences are common and that
others may have something useful to suggest?
“I AM ENTITLED TO MY OWN OPINION”

Certainly, each person has the right to believe what she believes and has the right to
express this. But this right is often stubbornly misconstrued as some kind of immunity from
criticism and correction. A bigoted racist has an opinion against anyone who is dark-
skinned, an anti-Semite has an opinion against Jews, and a misogynist has an opinion
against women. We realize that these opinions are highly problematic because there is no
basis for considering any of these groups of people as inferior.
We would rightly be indignant about an employer who pays his female employees less than
the male employees, simply because he is of the opinion that women are inferior to men.
But isn’t he entitled to his own opinion? To insist on one’s right in to having opinions
whatever these happen to be is to exhibit a closed-mindedness that rightly invites censure
from someone trying to think more critically about values.
“IT IS GOOD IF I SAY THAT IT IS GOOD”

With this line, we get to the heart of the problem with subjectivism. The statement
implies: “It is my personal consideration of X as good that makes X good. X is good
on the basis of my saying so.”
The problem now becomes: “What is my basis for saying X is good?”
This renders subjectivism and untenable view for someone who is interested in
ethics. It takes the fact that I am the subject making the valuation and uses this fact
as the very basis for that valuation. But when “I”, as a subject, am asking what is
right or wrong, good or bad, with subjectivism, there is no other basis that I can
look toward.