https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/categories/is-ought-problem/Recent content in Is-Ought Problem on Philosophie-DelorHugoenFrieder DelorMon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0200https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/philosophy/Sat, 15 Aug 2026 19:38:41 +0200https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/philosophy/<p>This section contains my contributions to philosophy. Its main focus is ethics and metaethics, especially the development of a naturalistic and evolutionary ethics.</p> <p>A central subject of my work is the is-ought problem. I examine why traditional and contemporary ethical theories fail to provide a satisfactory foundation for ethics, and develop a positive reconstruction on that basis.</p> <p>The section also includes foundational work, critical essays, and reviews. Some of these texts use satire. The satirical elements serve to illustrate the arguments, improve accessibility, and provide entertainment. The underlying criticism is nevertheless meant seriously.</p>https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/ethics/Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/ethics/<p>This section contains my work on ethics and metaethics. Its central concerns are the foundations of a naturalistic and evolutionary ethics and the solution to the is-ought problem.</p>https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/critics/Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0200https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/critics/<p>This section contains critical discussions of philosophical theories, arguments, and books. Its main focus is on ethical and metaethical approaches, their assumptions, and their explanatory power.</p> <p>The articles examine both classical positions and contemporary theories. They include criticism of Kant, ontic ethics, speech-act theory, and more recent approaches in moral philosophy. Some texts also review philosophical books and analyze their arguments.</p>https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/critics/utilltarissmus/Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0200https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/critics/utilltarissmus/<h1 id="the-misconception-of-utilitarianism">The Misconception of Utilitarianism<a class="anchor" href="#the-misconception-of-utilitarianism" aria-label="Link"></a></h1> <p><em>And the solution to the is–ought problem in light of evolution</em></p> <h2 id="introduction">Introduction<a class="anchor" href="#introduction" aria-label="Link"></a></h2> <blockquote class=''> <p>“If one has one’s why in life, one can cope with almost any how. Man does not strive for happiness; only the Englishman does.”</p> <p>Friedrich Nietzsche, <em>Twilight of the Idols</em>, Maxims and Arrows, § 12 (translation from the German)</p> </blockquote><p>People endure extreme suffering when they have a compelling why. They even risk their own lives for their children. When this why is missing, a more pleasant life itself becomes the supposed ultimate goal. This confusion shapes many contemporary ethical approaches.</p>https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/ethics/hume_is_ought/Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://philosophie-delor.github.io/en/ethics/hume_is_ought/<h1 id="humes-isought-problem-and-its-solution">Hume’s Is–Ought Problem and Its Solution<a class="anchor" href="#humes-isought-problem-and-its-solution" aria-label="Link"></a></h1> <h2 id="is-and-ought">Is and Ought<a class="anchor" href="#is-and-ought" aria-label="Link"></a></h2> <p>David Hume (1739/1978, T 3.1.1.27) observes in the <em>Treatise of Human Nature</em> that moral philosophers often begin by speaking about facts. They write about what is the case, how people act, what properties they possess, or what conditions obtain in the world. Then, within the same argument, an “ought” or “ought not” appears. Hume notes that this transition often occurs without explanation. Texts begin with statements about what is and then move to statements about what ought to be, without explaining what justifies this new claim.</p>