I think you are incorrect with regards to Hume’s is-ought gap, although I find its relevance to be somewhat overstated. A hypothetical imperative such as your example relies on an equivocation between ‘ought’ as (1) a normative injunction and (2) conveying a possible causal pathway from here to there.
-
Here is the incorrect syllogism:
Premise 1: A desires C (is)
Premise 2: B will produce C (is)
Conclusion: A ought to do B (ought)
-
There is a hidden normative premise that is often ignored. It is
Premise 3: A should obtain its desires. (ought)
-
The correct syllogism would then be:
Premise 1 (is): A desires C
Premise 2 (is): B will produce C
Premise 3 (ought): A ought to obtain its desires.
Conclusion: A ought to do B (ought)
-
The necessity of Premise 3 is made clear by use of an admittedly extreme example:
P1: Hitler wants to kill a great number of people
P2: Zyklon B will kill a great number of people
C1: Hitler ought to use Zyklon B to kill a great number of people
While the conclusion is derived from the premises using definition (2) of the word ‘ought’, few would express it as a normative recommendation.
-
Hume’s fact/value dichotomy remains valid. A normative conclusion can only be validly deduced from a group of premises including at least one which is itself normative.
I think you are incorrect with regards to Hume’s is-ought gap, although I find its relevance to be somewhat overstated. A hypothetical imperative such as your example relies on an equivocation between ‘ought’ as (1) a normative injunction and (2) conveying a possible causal pathway from here to there.
-
Here is the incorrect syllogism:
Premise 1: A desires C (is)
Premise 2: B will produce C (is)
Conclusion: A ought to do B (ought)
-
There is a hidden normative premise that is often ignored. It is
Premise 3: A should obtain its desires. (ought)
-
The correct syllogism would then be:
Premise 1 (is): A desires C
Premise 2 (is): B will produce C
Premise 3 (ought): A ought to obtain its desires.
Conclusion: A ought to do B (ought)
-
The necessity of Premise 3 is made clear by use of an admittedly extreme example:
P1: Hitler wants to kill a great number of people
P2: Zyklon B will kill a great number of people
C1: Hitler ought to use Zyklon B to kill a great number of people
While the conclusion is derived from the premises using definition (2) of the word ‘ought’, few would express it as a normative recommendation.
-
Hume’s fact/value dichotomy remains valid. A normative conclusion can only be validly deduced from a group of premises including at least one which is itself normative.