It is argued that if moral statements or utterances can be justified, they have a cognitive content that can be assessed by examining the meaning of moral justification. Moral statements are used to demand certain conduct of others, to hold ourselves to an obligation, to reproach, &, more generally, to coordinate social actions in a binding manner. Moral utterances are understood in relationship to a community's recognition of moral norms or customary practices. Various theoretical approaches to moral philosophy are examined, including strong & weak noncognitivism & strong & weak cognitivism. The latter two positions draw on Aristotle & Immanuel Kant, & are discussed to set the stage for a new call for a discourse-theoretical explanation of the moral point of view & its theoretical justification. J. Markovitz