[3] Since prescriptivism was introduced by philosopher R. M. Hare in his 1952 book The Language of Morals, it has been compared to emotivism and to the categorical imperative of Immanuel Kant.
[9] Hare's argument that offering guidance always constitutes the primary goal of moral discourse is also questioned by numerous critics.
[10] Some critics observe that Hare seems to presume moral language is exclusively employed in discussions, debates, or commands, where one person instructs another or others on what to do.
This perspective, it is argued, overlooks the broader usage of moral talk as a "language-game" serving diverse purposes.
Lastly, critics contend that prescriptivism contradicts the common-sense differentiation between good and bad reasons for holding moral beliefs.