Explain and discuss Ayer’s distinction between matters of fact and relations of ideas.

A logical positivist, Alfred J. Ayers, British philosopher claims only analytic and synthetic statements are meaningful and that because metaphysical and ethical statements are neither, the latter are meaningless. Meaningful propositions are divided into two classes “relations of ideas” and “matter of fact.” The “relations of ideas” involves mathematics, analytical, and logical thinking. This thinking solves problems by determining the use of symbols in a certain fashion. The “matter of fact” or empirical view can only be proved as hypotheses, are possibly probable but never certain. A possible sense-experience should be relevant in determining a truth or falsehood. And some things are neither true or false and are therefore, senseless.

Ayer defends emotions by claiming that moral disputes are in fact disputes about “matters of fact” rather than disputes about values. Tautogies and first-person observations can be dismissed as nonsense.It can be difficult to defend this movement. It offers a powerful vision of the possibilities for modern knowledge.