On 19/08/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This all makes sense if you are referring to the values of a > > particular entity. Objectively, the entity has certain values and we > > can use empirical means to determine what these values are. However, > > if I like red and you like blue, how do we decide which colour is > > objectively better? > > No, that's not what I'm referring to. I'm referring to 'Abstract > Universals' - Platonic Ideals that all observers with complete > information would agree with. > > "What they have to be are inert EXPLANATORY PRINCIPLES, taking the > form: 'Beauty has abstract properties A B C D E F G'. 'Liberty has > abstract properties A B C D E F G' etc etc. None the less, as > explained, these abstract specifications would still be amenable to > indirect empirical testing to the extent that they could be used to > predict agent emotional reactions to social events."
But I don't see how "all observers with complete information", even if we further stipulate that they are perfectly rational, could agree on what we commonly call "values". They would agree on matters of fact, including such facts as what a particular entity or group of entities considers beautiful, but whether they agree on what is beautiful is contingent on whether they happen to have the same taste. Broad consensus might be reached on certain values if we look at a single group such as humans, but that all goes out the window when the field is broadened to include every possible intelligent entity. -- Stathis Papaioannou --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
