Abstract
The British Moralists of the Eighteenth Century have been divided into rationalists and
empiricists on the question of how moral judgments are formed. But this is too simple: there are
various sorts of rationalism proposed, as well as Moral Sentimentalists, who believe in some
kind of moral sense of approval, and welfarist empiricists, who focus on happiness promotion.
None thought that the views of another cast into doubt the existence of moral truth. Their
disputes about moral principles evidenced an ability to conduct debates across large divides, their
dialoguing with those in the opposite camp a good indication of their hope of convergence on
truth.