Single Idea 22491

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / b. Fact and value]

Full Idea

A moral evaluation does not stand over against the statement of a matter of fact, but rather has to do with facts about a particular subject matter, as do evaluations of such things as sight and hearing in animals.

Gist of Idea

Moral evaluations are not separate from facts, but concern particular facts about functioning

Source

Philippa Foot (Natural Goodness [2001], 1)

Book Reference

Foot,Philippa: 'Natural Goodness' [OUP 2003], p.24


A Reaction

She avoids the word 'function', and only deals with living creatures, but she uses a 'good knife' as an example, and this Aristotelian view clearly applies to any machine which has a function.