Peterdjones comments on What is Metaethics? - Less Wrong

31 Post author: lukeprog 25 April 2011 04:53PM

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Comment author: XiXiDu 27 April 2011 04:53:28PM *  0 points [-]

For instance, I want more money - which is widely regarded as being instrumental.

Oughts and wants are not mutually exclusive in their first-order desirability. You ought to do what you want is a basic axiom of volition. That implies that you also want what you ought. Yet a distinction, if minor, between ought and want is that the former is often a second-order desire as it is instrumental to the latter primary goal.

Comment author: Peterdjones 27 April 2011 04:54:58PM -1 points [-]

Again, whether you ought to do what you want depends on what you want.

Comment author: NMJablonski 27 April 2011 06:16:51PM *  1 point [-]

Can you demonstrate that what you just said is true?

EDIT: And perhaps provide a definition of "ought"?