> (4) Ought vs. Is > The Fact/Value Dichotomy comes up occasionally as a bone of contention that > the MoQ should be able to either solve or dissolve. This seems to have > started with Hume and, I think, "A Treatise on Human Nature". Referring to > proofs of the being of God: "... when of a sudden I am surprised to find > that instead of the usual copulations of propositions "is" and "is not", I > meet with no proposition that is not connected with an "ought" or "ought > not" ... as this "ought" or "ought not" expresses some new relation or > affirmation it is necessary that it be observed and explained; and at the > same time a reason should be given for what seems altogether inconceivable, > how this new relation can be a deduction from others which are entirely > different from it." In other words, is it reasonable to derive OUGHT from IS > and does the MoQ allow, or preferably insist, that this is acceptable. > I am not quite sure where to begin here, so I will apologize by saying what follows is probably of very LOW value interest to the reader: I've spoken with a lot of people on the subject of what is and what is not a "fact". I think the easiest and most useful definition (Occam's Razor is delightfully MoQ) is that a "fact" is a static label for a Quality Event. For example: Static Fact: This in my hand is a piece of toast. Dynamic event - I crush the piece of toast into crumbs. New Static Fact: This in my hand is a pile of crumbs. Both are equally true given the time they are stated to be a "fact" (remembering a "fact" is a static label for a Quality Event). They are useful only on a static basis and are not the same as the Value with a big V. As for Mr. Hume: the derivation of "ought" from "is" is the single deadliest form of scientific blindness. What "is" a "fact" is only a relationally useful thing to be aware of. Deriving "oughts" from our "is's" leads our minds to substitute "is" after a while. I've been as succinct and on topic as possible. My apologies for any reader not finding this relevant. Soj ------- End of forwarded message ------- MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
