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To: cuban leaf

I’ve heard some pretty weak evolutionary explanations for “ought”.

CS Lewis pretty much destroys these with the question
“if we know what we ‘ought’, then why do we want to do otherwise?”

In other words, if “ought” is evolutionarily “wired” for a survival instinct, there should be no tendency to do otherwise, as that would be counter to survival.


23 posted on 03/09/2015 8:15:11 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: MrB
In other words, if “ought” is evolutionarily “wired” for a survival instinct, there should be no tendency to do otherwise, as that would be counter to survival.

False dichotomies can drive you crazy trying to reconcile them to reality.

25 posted on 03/09/2015 8:18:27 AM PDT by tacticalogic
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To: MrB

Yes. It’s where I was introduced to it. :-)

I notice others are starting to address it but there is the other side I’ve not read from Lewis: If the human mind evolved, why would one trust the conclusions about the origins of mankind via an evolved mind? It doesn’t know what it doesn’t know.

It’s why I use the “am radio” example. It can’t see an FM signal at all. But for it to then claim it therefore doesn’t exist is intellectually stupid, for it is basing its belief on woeful ignorance.

And it looks especially short sided to those who DO have an FM radio and do pick up the signal.


37 posted on 03/09/2015 8:46:43 AM PDT by cuban leaf (The US will not survive the obama presidency. The world may not either.)
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