Final answer:
The question addresses the philosophical debate within Ethics, comparing expressivism and ethical subjectivism, both of which are different metaethical theories that concern how moral statements are understood. Evaluating if one is an improvement depends on various criteria and philosophical perspectives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question, "Is expressivism an improvement over ethical subjectivism?" involves the field of Ethics, where expressivism and ethical subjectivism are two different metaethical theories. Expressivism asserts that moral statements do not express propositions or objective truths but rather convey the speaker's attitudes and emotions towards the subject. Ethical subjectivism holds that moral judgments are based on individual feelings and opinions, thereby lacking objective content. The question of improvement is thus a normative inquiry that depends on one's criteria for what constitutes a 'better' ethical theory.
In applied ethics, there is a recognition that many moral dilemmas require a cross-disciplinary approach and that philosophy alone does not always yield clear-cut answers. Similarly, whether expressivism is an improvement over ethical subjectivism also involves evaluative judgments, which may differ based on one's philosophical orientation or what one considers important in ethical theory development.