David Hume and the Is/Ought Problem

Summary

In Edinburgh, the video explores philosopher David Hume's profound questions. It delves into the problem of induction, questioning how repeated observations can lead to universal laws, exemplified by gravity. Further, it addresses Hume's 'is-ought' problem, pondering the leap from factual statements to moral obligations. The video challenges viewers to consider the basis of morality and rational action, suggesting an inherent belief in value drives our decisions, despite the difficulty in linking facts to values.

Takeaways

• 🗝️ David Hume is a philosopher known for asking profound questions that reshape the way we think about philosophy.
• 🔍 The problem of induction, introduced by Hume, questions the logic behind assuming that future events will follow the patterns observed in the past.
• 📊 Even with complete data, one cannot logically prove a universal law, as illustrated by the example of gravity and dropped objects.
• 🔮 Hume's second key question is about the is-ought problem, which challenges the derivation of moral values ('oughts') from factual statements ('is') about the world.
• 🩸 In a scenario where someone is stabbed, it's possible to measure many physical aspects, but not the moral wrongness of the act.
• 📏 Morality, as Hume observed, isn't something that can be directly measured or observed, unlike physical properties.
• 🤔 The is-ought divide suggests a gap between factual statements and moral judgments, questioning how one can logically move from one to the other.
• 🧠 Hume's insights imply that our actions are guided by an underlying belief in values, even if we can't directly justify them through reason alone.
• 🌐 The video suggests that while the nature and origin of these values might be debated, their influence on our actions is undeniable.
• 🎓 The discussion on the is-ought problem invites viewers to consider the relationship between facts and values, and whether one can derive the latter from the former.

Q & A

Who is David Hume and why is he significant?

David Hume was an 18th-century Scottish philosopher known for his skeptical empirical approach to philosophy. He is significant because he questioned fundamental assumptions about knowledge, morality, and the nature of reality, influencing modern philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment.

What is the problem of induction as mentioned in the script?

The problem of induction is the philosophical issue that even with a full data set, it doesn't necessarily prove a conclusion true. It challenges the logic behind assuming that because something has always happened in the past, it will continue to happen in the future.

Can you provide an example of the problem of induction from the script?

The script uses the example of gravity. Even if you drop something many times and it falls due to gravity, this doesn't logically prove that gravity is a universal law—it's just a pattern we observe and trust.

What is the 'is-ought' problem that David Hume is known for?

The 'is-ought' problem is Hume's observation that it's not easy to derive moral obligations ('oughts') from statements of fact ('is'). It questions how one can logically move from descriptions about the world to prescriptions about how the world should be.

How does the script illustrate the 'is-ought' problem with a stabbing scenario?

In the script, a stabbing scenario is used to show that while you can measure physical aspects of the event, you cannot measure the moral 'wrongness' or 'evilness' of the act. These qualities are not directly observable or measurable.

What does the script suggest about the nature of morality and its relation to measurable quantities?

The script suggests that morality, with its concepts of 'good' and 'evil,' is not a measurable quantity. It is not something you can see, touch, or hear, yet it influences our actions and decisions.

What does the script imply about the necessity of an underlying belief in value for rational human action?

The script implies that for human action to be rationally consistent, there must be an underlying belief in value itself. This belief in 'oughts' and 'shoulds' is fundamental to everything we do.

What is the alternative view presented in the script regarding the reality of beliefs and morality?

The script presents the alternative view that beliefs and morality might be subjective and a matter of personal preference, suggesting that there might not be an objective reality to them.

How does the script relate the study of truth to the concept of 'is' and 'ought'?

The script questions whether we study truth because it is true or because of the inherent goodness in doing so, suggesting an inextricable link between the 'is' (facts) and the 'ought' (values).

What is the call to action for viewers at the end of the script?

The script encourages viewers to engage with the content by sharing their thoughts in the comments, and for new viewers, it prompts them to like and subscribe to the channel.

What is the overall message of the script about the connection between 'is' and 'ought'?

The overall message is that while it may be challenging to connect facts ('is') with moral values ('ought'), this connection is essential for rational human behavior and decision-making.

Outlines

00:00

🗝️ The Philosophical Impact of David Hume

The video script introduces viewers to the city of Edinburgh and the philosophical contributions of David Hume. Hume is recognized as a philosopher who not only answered fundamental questions creatively but also discovered new, inescapable questions. The script discusses two of Hume's most famous inquiries: the problem of induction and the is-ought problem. The problem of induction challenges the notion that a full data set can prove a conclusion, using the example of gravity to illustrate how repeated observations do not necessarily establish a universal law. The is-ought problem explores the difficulty of deriving moral values ('ought') from factual statements ('is'), questioning how one can move from measurable, observable phenomena to the immeasurable qualities of morality. The script suggests that while Hume's findings may not provide clear-cut answers, they underscore the necessity of an underlying belief in value for rational human action.

Keywords

💡David Hume

David Hume was an 18th-century Scottish philosopher known for his skeptical empirical approach to philosophy. In the video, he is described as a profound thinker who not only answered fundamental questions but also discovered new ones. His work is foundational to the themes discussed in the video, particularly his inquiries into the nature of knowledge and morality.

💡Philosophers

Philosophers are individuals engaged in critical thinking, seeking truth or wisdom, and examining fundamental or existential questions. The video categorizes them into two types: those who answer fundamental questions creatively and those who discover new, inescapable questions, with Hume exemplifying the latter.

💡Problem of Induction

The problem of induction refers to the logical issue that observing a pattern does not guarantee its continuation. In the script, it is used to illustrate that even with a full dataset, one cannot logically prove a conclusion to be universally true, such as assuming gravity will always act in a certain way.

💡Universal Law

A universal law is a principle that is expected to apply everywhere and at all times. The video uses the example of gravity to discuss how we trust in universal laws despite the logical problem of induction, which questions the certainty of such laws.

💡Is-Ought Divide

The is-ought divide, also known as Hume's Law, is the assertion that one cannot derive moral conclusions ('ought') from factual premises ('is'). The video discusses this concept by questioning how one can jump from statements of fact to statements of value or morality.

💡Naturalist Style Moral Arguments

Naturalist style moral arguments attempt to derive moral values from natural facts. The video critiques this approach by highlighting Hume's observation that one cannot logically move from 'is' to 'ought,' suggesting a disconnect between facts and values.

💡Morality

Morality pertains to principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. The video discusses how qualities of morality, such as 'wrongness' or 'evilness,' are not directly measurable and cannot be derived from observable facts alone.

💡Rational Being

A rational being is one that acts or forms opinions on the basis of reason. The video suggests that every action of a rational being is underpinned by a belief in value or 'ought,' indicating that rationality is linked to a system of values.

💡Value

Value in the context of the video refers to a concept or principle that is considered worthwhile or important. It is discussed as an underlying belief that influences human action and is distinct from the empirical world of facts and observations.

💡Subjective

Subjective refers to something that is based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions. The video touches on the idea that some might argue morality is subjective, but it also suggests that people's actions imply a belief in objective value.

💡Rationally Consistent

Rationally consistent means acting or believing in a way that is logical and coherent. The video implies that for human action to be rationally consistent, there must be an underlying belief in value, suggesting a necessary connection between rationality and values.

Highlights

Visiting the statue of David Hume in Edinburgh

Introduction to two classes of philosophers: creative thinkers and question discoverers

David Hume's role as a philosopher who discovers new questions

The problem of induction: the logical issue with assuming universal laws from repeated observations

The example of gravity to illustrate the problem of induction

The distinction between empirical observation and logical proof

The second question Hume is known for: deriving 'ought' from 'is'

Scenario of being stabbed to discuss the measurable versus the moral

The inability to measure moral qualities like 'wrongness' or 'evilness'

Hume's observation on the difficulty of bridging 'is' and 'ought'

The idea that moral arguments often incorrectly infer 'ought' from 'is'

The is-ought divide and its implications for rational action

The necessity of an underlying belief in value for rational consistency

The question of whether we study truth for its own sake or for its goodness

The suggestion that the is-ought divide may lead to a belief in subjective morality

The argument against the subjective nature of morality and value

The call to action for viewers to engage with the content and subscribe to the channel

Transcripts

[Music]

so we're here in the city of Edinburgh

and one of the things that I really want

to visit is this statue of David Hume

there are two classes of philosophers

the first one tries to answer

fundamental questions in a creative way

the second kind does something way more

interesting and profound they discover

new questions new questions so

fundamental that they are inescapable

for every philosopher of this first kind

that ever comes thereafter David Hume is

one of these philosophers and I'm going

to describe two questions that he is

really known for the first one we've

talked about briefly on this channel

before and it's called the problem of

induction and it's basically the problem

that even if you have a full data set

it doesn't necessarily prove your

conclusion true if I drop something and

say oh that's because gravity happens

and I drop it and I drop it and I drop

it there's actually a problem in the

logic to conclude that that is a

universal law we trust it as a universal

blog we can use it that way that's a

good thing but in terms of its raw logic

it doesn't actually work for the same

reason that not every rectangle is a

square if you're interested in this

problem in more detail see the video we

did on why science isn't logical the

second of these questions is that you

can't derive and hot-too from an is

let's run through a scenario let's say

that I get stabbed yeah there's lots of

things that we can measure about that

situation we can measure the decibel

count of my screen we can measure the

blood flow we can measure all kinds of

visual things we can measure the the

vibrations from the impact of my body

against the pavement we can measure

actually we can do a fair amount of

statistical measurement about what was

going through the mind of the the person

who killed me like what with what was

the background whether the statistical

likelihood that this sort of thing

happens we can measure a lot of stuff

and all this stuff is stuff that is

stuff that is happening one thing that

you won't be able to measure is the

wrongness in that situation the evilness

of that these qualities of morality are

fascinating the

cuz you can't point to them you can't

measure them it's not a sound it's not a

taste it's not something you can touch

it's not something you can see directly

they're not measurable quantities David

Hume observed that many naturalist style

moral arguments would proceed from well

this is so and this is so and this is so

therefore this ought to be the case and

he called that the is aught divided well

how do you jump from a collection of

iza's to an odd we believe in a lot

everyone believes in odd cons brought

this home beautifully by saying that

basically if you are a rational being

you have to have reasons for doing

things basically every time you get out

of bed in the morning every time you do

anything you do it because you believe

that it was better than not to there is

an underlying world of odds and should

and goodness and value the undergirds

literally everything you have ever done

and ever will do this is so fundamental

it's incredible but what Hume discovered

is that it is not easy to make the

connections between what is and what

ought to be between this world of values

and the world of a sense that we inhabit

one way of reading the is op problem

would be to say that there's no such

there's no reality in our beliefs and

morality to say that it's all subjective

it's all in your head it's all you

prefer this for that yeah it's it's all

a matter of preference I don't believe

that and I don't think there's any good

reason to believe that and I don't think

that people who say they believe it

actually believe it what I do think it

demonstrates though is that in order for

human action to be rationally consistent

there has to be an undergirding belief

in in value itself

and what that is or where it comes from

is probably less important than

following it do we study truth because

it is true or do we study truth because

of this good they're inextricably linked

even though you can't directly point

from and is to a nod perhaps you can

point from a nod to it is if this video

gave you something to think about or if

you appreciate the is ought divide or

want to comment about that generally in

the comments below then please do and if

you're new to the channel please hit the

like and subscribe button below I think

it's worth your while

[Music]