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How do natural rights theories cross the is/ought divide?

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:05 PM
Lilburne:
Juan:
Lilburne:
If you were just making a point, and not trying to be annoying, would you have posted the same bit of inanity three different times?
I'm emphatically making a point. That's why I made three similar posts. Is there any reason why I should justify my actions to you ?
Is there any reason I should justify my critical questions to you?
I don't know. It seems you are complaining about the fact that I'm being annoying.

Are you only making a comment along the lines of "I don't like how Juan writes" ? Or are you suggesting that I shouldn't write the way I do ? Are you saying I shouldn't be 'annoying' ?

If it is the latter, then I would ask you, why do you think you have a saying on how I behave ?

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Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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AJ:
I'm not the one who claims to have a logical proof. Again, I'm not against the spirit of natural rights, I only contest the notion that they can be logically proven, as some have indeed stated.

well, then, lets wrap this up, i forego formal positive proofs for natural law, just as a i forego formal positive proofs for natural science, . yet my ethics are not matters of faith, anymore so than my knowlegde of science and of the human world. 

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:10 PM
AJ:
I have nothing against the notion of "natural rights" as long as it they are presented properly as a potentially useful concept and tool of persuasion rather than a logically proven theory.
Logical positivism is highly boring AND annoying.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Juan:
Are you saying I shouldn't be 'annoying' ?

Are you saying you should be?

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as a footnote to my last comment, just as when i feel confident to say 'gravity will smack you to the ground" to any of you thinking of jumping out of airplanes, i will say 'killing people is wrong' when you tell me you have a murder in mind.

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I. Ryan:

Juan,

What is your native language?

Oh don't be an ass. 

existence is elsewhere

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AJ:
The natural rights proponents (hashem, Rasmussen, krazy kaju) brought up the issue of "proof." I only point out that the burden falls on them if they wish to continue claiming that natural rights have been proven in the formal logical sense.

Actually the burden of proof is on you to establish why our values that we hold to be true are in fact false.

'Men do not change, they unmask themselves' - Germaine de Stael

 

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I. Ryan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:19 PM

Juan:

I. Ryan,

I think you are a statist who believes in killing people who don't accept your system of government.

Do you mind providing a moral justification for your system ? Or any justification at all ?

Do you think your system is 'right' ?

What "system of government"?

If I wrote it more than a few weeks ago, I probably hate it by now.

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I. Ryan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:20 PM

Wilmot of Rochester:

Oh don't be an ass. 

I was merely responding to his definitional requests.

If I wrote it more than a few weeks ago, I probably hate it by now.

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:23 PM
LS:
Juan:
Are you saying I shouldn't be 'annoying' ?
Are you saying you should be?
Well, there's no moral obligation to be annoying so I'm not saying I should be annoying.

On the other hand, given the annoying skepticism of the moral subjectivists, I don't see why I can't be annoying as well. Are they above the (non-existent) law or something ?

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:24 PM
I Ryan:
What "system of government"?
So called miniarchism - the one system you support.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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I. Ryan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:25 PM

Juan:

So called miniarchism - the one you support.

When did I say that I support minarchism?

If I wrote it more than a few weeks ago, I probably hate it by now.

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AJ replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:27 PM

nirgrahamUK:

as a footnote to my last comment, just as when i feel confident to say 'gravity will smack you to the ground" to any of you thinking of jumping out of airplanes, i will say 'killing people is wrong' when you tell me you have a murder in mind.

Yes, consequentialist definitions of "ought" allow the crossing of the is/ought divide, so it appears we agree.

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Juan:
On the other hand, given the annoying skepticism of the moral subjectivists, I don't see why I can't be annoying as well.

You find their skepticism annoying because you are intolerant and not a bridge builder.  Reacting in a tit for tat manner does nothing to solve their "annoying skepticism" (whoever thought a libertarian would call skepticism "annoying"?) but just poisons the discussion.

Juan:
Are they above the (non-existent) law or something ?

I don't believe so.  I find your reciprocity to be contradictory to your own established values.

Just to annoy you further, I am also leaning towards the position of Zefreak and lilburne.  I don't think the is-ought gap has been crossed.  As soon as it is, I will get on board.  But to pretend it is, when I know it isn't, smacks of intellectual dishonesty.

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:27 PM
You never denied it when asked, and it can be inferred by other things you said. At any rate, do you mind describing what political system you support and why you think it is justified ?

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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AJ replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:28 PM

Anarchist Cain:

AJ:
The natural rights proponents (hashem, Rasmussen, krazy kaju) brought up the issue of "proof." I only point out that the burden falls on them if they wish to continue claiming that natural rights have been proven in the formal logical sense.

Actually the burden of proof is on you to establish why our values that we hold to be true are in fact false.

Did I mention values?

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do we? you dont seem capable/ or desirious  (i dont know which) of making moral statements or debating whether something in particular is moral or not...unless you have abandoned moral skepticism?

Where there is no property there is no justice; a proposition as certain as any demonstration in Euclid

Fools! not to see that what they madly desire would be a calamity to them as no hands but their own could bring

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I. Ryan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:31 PM

Juan:

You never denied it when asked, and it can be inferred by other things you said. At any rate, do you mind describing what political system you support and why you think it is justified ?

Firstly, provide examples and explanations of the alleged minarchistic implications.

If I wrote it more than a few weeks ago, I probably hate it by now.

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AJ replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:38 PM

nirgrahamUK:

do we? you dont seem capable/ or desirious  (i dont know which) of making moral statements or debating whether something in particular is moral or not...unless you have abandoned moral skepticism?

How do you propose we define "moral"? It's hardly a term with an agreed-upon definition.

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AJ replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:39 PM

I. Ryan:

Juan:

You never denied it when asked, and it can be inferred by other things you said. At any rate, do you mind describing what political system you support and why you think it is justified ?

Firstly, provide examples and explanations of the alleged minarchistic implications.

Ignoring someone can be a more effective answer than a written one.Big Smile

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:40 PM
LS:
You find their skepticism annoying because you are intolerant and not a bridge builder. Reacting in a tit for tat manner does nothing to solve their "annoying skepticism" (whoever thought a libertarian would call skepticism "annoying"?) but just poisons the discussion.
Well, if skepticism is directed against the validity of libertarianism itself, then I as a libertarian don't see much value in skepticism.

I don't like skepticism per se either - philosophical skepticism is different from being tolerant and open-minded - rather it's just the opposite. Skepticism is a dogmatic belief in the impossibility of knowing any sort of truth.
I just find your reciprocity to be contradictory to your own established values.
Not sure why. Why shouldn't skeptics be given their own medicine ?
Just to annoy you further, I am also leaning towards the position of Zefreak and lilburne.
Well, that wouldn't annoy me much because you sometimes seem to be holding position X and position non-X...simultaneously.
I don't think the is-ought gap has been crossed.
There's no is-ought gap. That's just an article of faith of the skeptical church.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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i have no desire to spend a lifetime defining the word jumping off word, 'moral',  with you - just so that we can get started on discovering moral knowledge in depth and clarity through moral debate. 

Where there is no property there is no justice; a proposition as certain as any demonstration in Euclid

Fools! not to see that what they madly desire would be a calamity to them as no hands but their own could bring

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:45 PM
I. Ryan:
Firstly, provide examples and explanations of the alleged minarchistic implications.
Nope. Describe the system you support and explain why it is justified or else stop making objections to natural law.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
Aquinas : "much more reason is there for heretics, as soon as they are convicted of heresy, to be not only excommunicated but even put to death."

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AJ:

Anarchist Cain:

AJ:
The natural rights proponents (hashem, Rasmussen, krazy kaju) brought up the issue of "proof." I only point out that the burden falls on them if they wish to continue claiming that natural rights have been proven in the formal logical sense.

Actually the burden of proof is on you to establish why our values that we hold to be true are in fact false.

Did I mention values?

Obviously you value skepticism towards natural law more then natural law itself. Yet my claim still stands, the burden of proof is on you to show that what we deem to be true is actually false for it would be absurd to claim that we need to suppose something is false until we can prove it is true to you.

'Men do not change, they unmask themselves' - Germaine de Stael

 

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I. Ryan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:53 PM

Juan:

Nope. Describe the system you support and explain why it is justified or else stop making objections to natural law.

"Nope."

If I wrote it more than a few weeks ago, I probably hate it by now.

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 4:54 PM
who's the guy in your avatar ?

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I was going to quote you, and then remembered you are posting from a Commodore64

Sad

 

Juan:
Skepticism is a dogmatic belief in the impossibility of knowing any sort of truth.

Well, we're both dogmatic in our own ways.

Juan:
Why shouldn't skeptics be given their own medicine ?

Eye for an eye, and the whole world goes blind.

Juan:
Well, that wouldn't annoy me much because you sometimes seem to be holding position X and position non-X...simultaneously.

I'm a delusional hypocritical skeptic.  Or I'm a genius.  You decide.

Juan:
There's no is-ought gap. That's just an article of faith of the skeptical church.

Smile

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Juan:
who's the guy in your avatar ?

I wanna know that too.  He looks constipated.

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So, it's generally accepted is-ought are definitionally distinct? And that in terms of using them in 'linguistic logic' it's not possible to merge them without making a stealth moral imperative? If so, then what other threads do you think we should start up on the nature of ethics then? Objectivity vs subjectivity in ethics? Intentionalism vs "rationalism" in ethics?

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I. Ryan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 5:08 PM

Juan:

who's the guy in your avatar ?

liberty student:

I wanna know that too.  He looks constipated.

Benito Mussolini.

If I wrote it more than a few weeks ago, I probably hate it by now.

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AJ replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 5:27 PM

nirgrahamUK:

i have no desire to spend a lifetime defining the word jumping off word, 'moral',  with you - just so that we can get started on discovering moral knowledge in depth and clarity through moral debate. 

Hard to get started in any debate about precise concepts unless people are willing to define their terms precisely.

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Juan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 5:27 PM
Pointless to talk to logical positivist trolls.

February 17 - 1600 - Giordano Bruno is burnt alive by the catholic church.
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AJ replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 5:31 PM

Anarchist Cain:

AJ:

Anarchist Cain:

AJ:
The natural rights proponents (hashem, Rasmussen, krazy kaju) brought up the issue of "proof." I only point out that the burden falls on them if they wish to continue claiming that natural rights have been proven in the formal logical sense.

Actually the burden of proof is on you to establish why our values that we hold to be true are in fact false.

Did I mention values?

Obviously you value skepticism towards natural law more then natural law itself. Yet my claim still stands, the burden of proof is on you to show that what we deem to be true is actually false for it would be absurd to claim that we need to suppose something is false until we can prove it is true to you.

People have stated natural law has been proven. Either they back up that assertion or they back away from it. If and only if they back away from that assertion, I would have no need to assert or prove anything and would gladly drop this.

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To AJ, can anyone prove that causality is purely incidental? Or more properly, can anyone show the non-incidental nature in causality in terms of humans?

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I. Ryan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 5:44 PM

Juan:

Pointless to talk to logical positivist trolls.

Who?

If I wrote it more than a few weeks ago, I probably hate it by now.

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AJ replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 5:54 PM

ladyattis:

To AJ, can anyone prove that causality is purely incidental? Or more properly, can anyone show the non-incidental nature in causality in terms of humans?

Why does this matter when we haven't even gotten over the issue of what natural rights proponents mean by the words "ought," "right," "wrong," etc.? I suggest that we cannot meaningfully proceed with any discussion related to the OP until such terms are rigorously defined. For those that think this is sticklerish or annoying, hey, I am not the one making the claim that natural rights theories can be logically "proven."

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but you know what moral oughts mean, they mean you are obliged to do them, that you would be wrong to not do them. 

it can hardly be reduced further. 

 

im not sure what you even want to discuss, logically foolproofedly proving whole systems is impossible, we can only do our pure deductions in pure  hypotheticals,. if we are to say anything substantive , meaningful, insightful about the universe or ourselves, we need to combine deductions with empricism and introduce the possibility of making errors in our conclusions. we adopt tactics to fight off, to minimize error. 

are you still wanting to go on about the proving of the system?, or are you willing to adopt the moral project and try to reduce whatever errors might be in it,out of it?

Where there is no property there is no justice; a proposition as certain as any demonstration in Euclid

Fools! not to see that what they madly desire would be a calamity to them as no hands but their own could bring

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I. Ryan replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 6:24 PM

nirgrahamUK:

but you know what moral oughts mean, they mean you are obliged to do them, that you would be wrong to not do them. 

it can hardly be reduced further. 

 

im not sure what you even want to discuss, logically foolproofedly proving whole systems is impossible, we can only do our pure deductions in pure  hypotheticals,. if we are to say anything substantive , meaningful, insightful about the universe or ourselves, we need to combine deductions with empricism and introduce the possibility of making errors in our conclusions. we adopt tactics to fight off, to minimize error. 

are you still wanting to go on about the proving of the system?, or are you willing to adopt the moral project and try to reduce whatever errors might be in it,out of it?

What the hell? Can you not type? And, yes, I plan to pove the system.

If I wrote it more than a few weeks ago, I probably hate it by now.

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typo

Where there is no property there is no justice; a proposition as certain as any demonstration in Euclid

Fools! not to see that what they madly desire would be a calamity to them as no hands but their own could bring

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AJ replied on Wed, Aug 5 2009 6:29 PM

nirgrahamUK:
but you know what moral oughts mean, they means you are obliged to do them, that you would be wrong to not do them. 

I don't understand what those who say they can prove natural rights/law mean by "obliged" and "wrong." Just because meanings for such words exist and I know all the meanings, doesn't mean I know which meaning they intend to imply.

If they were serious about making a logical argument, I think we would see more effort at precision, similar to how mathematicians take pains to define what they mean. Even mathematicians may not be able to do so 100%, but at least they make a hearty effort to define their terms with enough precision for whatever they are trying to prove.

The issue I have with natural rights "proofs" is that I am not seeing essential terms defined with nearly enough precision to be useful in logically proving what the proponents seek to logically prove.

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