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Full Idea
If you say 'an owl should be able to see in the dark' …you're not going to think that there's a gap between facts and evaluation.
Gist of Idea
There is no fact-value gap in 'owls should see in the dark'
Source
Philippa Foot (Interview with Philippa Foot [2003], p.33)
Book Ref
-: 'Philosophy Now' [-], p.33
A Reaction
I take this to be a major and fundamental idea, which pinpoints the failure of Humeans to understand the world correctly. There is always total nihilism, of course, but that is a sort of blindness to how things are. Demanding 'proof' of values is crazy.
| 23433 | Humans need courage like a plant needs roots [Foot] |
| 23431 | Human defects are just like plant or animal defects [Foot] |
| 23432 | Concepts such as function, welfare, flourishing and interests only apply to living things [Foot] |
| 23434 | There is no fact-value gap in 'owls should see in the dark' [Foot] |
| 23435 | If you demonstrate the reason to act, there is no further question of 'why should I?' [Foot] |
| 23436 | It is an odd Humean view to think a reason to act must always involve caring [Foot] |
| 23438 | Full rationality must include morality [Foot] |
| 23437 | Practical reason is goodness in choosing actions [Foot] |
| 23439 | Principles are not ultimate, but arise from the necessities of human life [Foot] |