The original argument by Mortimer Adler was:
- One ought to desire what is really good and only what is really good.
- X is really good.
- One ought to desire X.
We need to refine the original argument to avoid the naturalistic fallacy—the problem of deriving an "ought" (normative claim) from an "is" (descriptive claim)—and construct a logically sound and philosophically robust argument that supports the conclusion: "If one knows that X is good, then one ought to desire it."
The issue is that Premise 1 assumes an "ought" without justifying how it follows from descriptive facts about what is "really good." Below, I explain what needs to be changed to legitimately derive an "ought" from an "is," then provide a revised argument.
Part 1: What Needs to Be Changed to Derive an "Ought" from an "Is"
The naturalistic fallacy, identified by G.E. Moore, occurs when one infers a normative obligation (e.g., "ought to desire") directly from a descriptive fact (e.g., "X is good") without a bridging principle that justifies the transition. To derive an "ought" from an "is" in the context of this argument, Objectivism or any ethical framework must:
- Provide a Metaethical Bridge:
- Introduce a principle that connects descriptive facts about "goodness" to normative obligations. For example:
- In Objectivism, Rand argues that "good" is tied to life as the standard of value: what promotes human survival and flourishing is good. The "ought" arises because rational beings must choose actions to sustain their lives, making the "ought" a condition of rational agency.
- Alternative frameworks (e.g., Kantian ethics) might use universal rationality or duty as the bridge.
- This bridge must be explicit to avoid circularity or assumption.
- Define "Good" in Descriptive Terms:
- Clearly define "good" as a property grounded in observable or rational facts (e.g., X promotes life, happiness, or autonomy). This makes the "is" (X is good) empirically or logically verifiable.
- Example: Rand defines "good" as what rationally furthers one’s life, but she needs a clearer link to obligation.
- Account for Rational Agency:
- Since "ought" applies to agents capable of choice, the argument must show why knowing X is good obligates desire, given human rationality. This involves:
- Demonstrating that rational agents, by their nature, must align desires with knowledge of the good to achieve their goals (e.g., flourishing).
- Addressing psychological realism: humans may know X is good but fail to desire it due to biases or emotions.
- Avoid Circularity:
- Ensure the argument doesn’t presuppose the conclusion (e.g., defining "good" as "what ought to be desired"). The bridge principle must be independent of the conclusion.
- Incorporate Knowledge:
- The revised request emphasizes "knowing X is good." The argument must account for epistemic certainty or rational knowledge, showing why knowledge (not mere belief) triggers an obligation to desire.
Part 2: Revised Argument
Here’s a revised argument that derives "If one knows that X is good, then one ought to desire it," inspired by Objectivism but refined to address the naturalistic fallacy and incorporate the focus on knowledge. The argument aims to be logically valid, philosophically sound, and empirically grounded.
Revised Argument
- The standard of value for a rational agent is their own life and flourishing, as these are the ultimate goals of rational choice (Descriptive and normative bridge principle).
- X is good if and only if X rationally promotes the life and flourishing of the agent (Definition of "good").
- If an agent knows that X rationally promotes their life and flourishing, they recognize X as good (Epistemic premise).
- A rational agent, by their nature, ought to desire what they recognize as good, because desiring the good is necessary to achieve their life and flourishing (Normative principle of rational agency).
- If an agent knows that X is good, then they ought to desire X (Conclusion).
Explanation of Each Premise
- Premise 1: The standard of value for a rational agent is their own life and flourishing, as these are the ultimate goals of rational choice.
- Justification: This is Rand’s Objectivist principle, refined for clarity. Life is the ultimate "is" (descriptive fact) because living beings act to sustain themselves. For humans, rational choice distinguishes us, and flourishing (e.g., happiness, achievement) is the goal of rational action. This premise bridges "is" to "ought" by positing that rational agents must choose values to live, making life the standard of value.
- Support: Empirical evidence (e.g., evolutionary biology shows organisms act for survival) and philosophical arguments (e.g., Aristotle’s eudaimonia as the telos of human life) align with this.
- Avoiding the Fallacy: The "ought" emerges from the necessity of choice for rational agents, not from life’s mere existence.
- Premise 2: X is good if and only if X rationally promotes the life and flourishing of the agent.
- Justification: Defines "good" in descriptive terms: X is good if it causally contributes to the agent’s survival and flourishing (e.g., health, liberty, productive work). This is verifiable through reason or evidence (e.g., economic data showing liberty’s benefits).
- Support: Rand’s The Virtue of Selfishness argues that values like reason, purpose, and self-esteem are good because they sustain life. Empirical examples: free markets (X) correlate with prosperity (Heritage Foundation’s Economic Freedom Index).
- Avoiding Ambiguity: The biconditional ("if and only if") ensures "good" is precise and tied to objective outcomes.
- Premise 3: If an agent knows that X rationally promotes their life and flourishing, they recognize X as good.
- Justification: Knowledge implies justified true belief (standard epistemology). If an agent knows X promotes their flourishing (e.g., through reason or evidence), they understand X as good per Premise 2’s definition.
- Support: Rational inquiry (e.g., scientific method) allows agents to identify good actions or objects. Example: knowing exercise (X) improves health leads to recognizing exercise as good.
- Addressing Knowledge: This premise incorporates your condition that the agent knows X is good, not merely believes it.
- Premise 4: A rational agent, by their nature, ought to desire what they recognize as good, because desiring the good is necessary to achieve their life and flourishing.
- Justification: Rational agents, capable of choice, must align their desires with their goals (life/flourishing) to act effectively. Desire motivates action; thus, desiring what is known to be good is rational and necessary. This is the normative bridge: rationality obligates consistency between knowledge and desire.
- Support: Philosophical precedent (e.g., Kant’s practical reason requires acting on rational maxims) and psychological evidence (e.g., goal-directed behavior in cognitive science). Rand argues that irrational desires (e.g., self-destruction) contradict life’s requirements.
- Avoiding Circularity: The "ought" stems from rationality’s demands, not from assuming the conclusion.
- Conclusion: If an agent knows that X is good, then they ought to desire X.
- Follows logically from Premises 3 and 4 via modus ponens:
- P3: If Knows(Good(X)), then Good(X).
- P4: If Good(X), then Ought(Desire(X)).
- Therefore: If Knows(Good(X)), then Ought(Desire(X)).
Logical Form
- P1: Life and flourishing are the standard of value for rational agents.
- P2: Good(X)
Promotes(X, Life/Flourishing). - P3: Knows(Promotes(X, Life/Flourishing)) → Good(X).
- P4: Good(X) → Ought(Desire(X)).
- C: Knows(Good(X)) → Ought(Desire(X)).
This is logically valid (modus ponens and hypothetical syllogism) and avoids the naturalistic fallacy by using rationality and agency as the bridge between "is" (X is good) and "ought" (desire X).
Part 3: How This Addresses the Naturalistic Fallacy
- Bridge Principle: Premises 1 and 4 establish that rational agents, by their nature, must choose actions aligned with their survival and flourishing. The "ought" arises from the necessity of rational consistency, not from goodness itself.
- Descriptive Grounding: Premise 2 ties "good" to verifiable facts (promotion of life/flourishing), avoiding vague or intrinsic notions of goodness.
- Normative Justification: Premise 4 links knowledge to obligation via rationality, ensuring the "ought" is conditional on agency, not an arbitrary leap.
- Epistemic Focus: By emphasizing "knows," the argument accounts for rational certainty, addressing your specific request.
Part 4: Potential Objections and Responses
- Objection: Premise 1 assumes life/flourishing as the ultimate value, which some (e.g., nihilists) might reject.
- Response: The premise is grounded in the descriptive fact that rational agents act to live. Rejecting life as a value undermines agency itself, as action presupposes purpose.
- Objection: Premise 4’s obligation to desire the good ignores psychological barriers (e.g., akrasia, where one knows the good but fails to desire it).
- Response: The "ought" is normative, not descriptive. Rational agents should align desires with knowledge, even if they sometimes fail. Objectivism emphasizes training one’s emotions through reason.
- Objection: The argument is Objectivist-biased and may not persuade non-Objectivists (e.g., utilitarians who prioritize collective good).
- Response: The argument is framed in Objectivist terms to make it consistent/compatible with Rand. A universal version could use a broader bridge (e.g., practical reason), but this version is consistent with the context.
Part 5: Example Application
Suppose X is individual liberty:
- P1: Life/flourishing is the standard of value (e.g., humans need freedom to act rationally).
- P2: Individual liberty is good because it promotes life/flourishing (e.g., Economic Freedom Index shows freer societies have higher GDP, longevity).
- P3: If an agent knows liberty promotes flourishing (e.g., through historical data), they recognize liberty as good.
- P4: A rational agent ought to desire what is good (liberty) to achieve flourishing.
- C: If an agent knows liberty is good, they ought to desire it.
This aligns with Rand’s view that liberty (protected by limited government) is good, unlike statism.
Final Answer
To derive an "ought" from an "is," the original argument needed a metaethical bridge, clear definitions, and a focus on rational agency. The revised argument is:
- The standard of value for a rational agent is their own life and flourishing, as these are the ultimate goals of rational choice.
- X is good if and only if X rationally promotes the life and flourishing of the agent.
- If an agent knows that X rationally promotes their life and flourishing, they recognize X as good.
- A rational agent, by their nature, ought to desire what they recognize as good, because desiring the good is necessary to achieve their life and flourishing.
- If an agent knows that X is good, then they ought to desire X.
This is logically valid, avoids the naturalistic fallacy, and aligns with Objectivism while addressing the focus on knowledge
