In a message dated 99-11-18 09:53:13 EST, rhanson@gmu.edu (Robin Hanson) wrote:
> Greg Burch wrote:
> >Science and technology can tell you the "is", but the scientific method,
> >standing alone, cannot tell you the "ought". Ultimately, science and
> >technology will provide us with a complete list of what we CAN do, but
we'
> ll
> >still have to face the question of what we OUGHT to do.
>
> I disagree with Greg here (and appear to agree with Curt Adams). I think
> that
> "ought" questions are a subset of "is" questions. There is some matter of
> fact regarding what it is that I want, and what it is that I would want if
I
> understood myself and the world better. If you knew enough about my brain
> and the world I live in, you could figure out what I want. And as far as I
> can tell, all interesting moral/ethical/ought questions are equivalent to
> questions about what various creatures want.
Only time for a quick note this morning -- I hope to be able to write some more on this issue this weekend . . .
For now, let me ask you a question, Robin: Can we question that what we DO want is what we SHOULD want?
Greg Burch <GBurch1@aol.com>----<gburch@lockeliddell.com>
Attorney ::: Vice President, Extropy Institute ::: Wilderness Guide
http://users.aol.com/gburch1 -or- http://members.aol.com/gburch1
"Civilization is protest against nature;
progress requires us to take control of evolution."
Thomas Huxley