Philosophy, Activism, Science, and Sociology
SPRING 2015
Joseph Padget
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The Problem of Action and Scientific Knowledge
Scientific knowledge alone CANNOT determine action decisions
Science alone cannot determine whether something is
Good or bad
Right or wrong
Under certain circumstances scientific knowledge claims can inform action decisions – contingent on someone’s set of VALUES
02:05:16 AM
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Facts vs. Values/Is vs. Ought
Statements of FACT tell us WHAT IS
Based on observation, experimentation, etc.
Statements of VALUE tell us WHAT OUGHT TO BE
Based on someone’s personal preferences
Factual knowledge alone cannot determine action decisions but value knowledge can
Science alone DOES NOT care what ought to be, only what is or is likely to be
Values do address what ought to be and are unique to individuals
02:05:18 AM
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EXAMPLE – Values, Facts, and Decisions
Education and Economic Productivity –
Does education affect economic productivity?
Should groups implement compulsory education?
Which of the above is a question of fact, which is a question of value?
02:05:19 AM
4
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EXAMPLE – Values, Facts, and Decisions
Does education affect economic productivity?
THIS IS A QUESTION OF FACT, amenable to scientific theorizing
Should groups implement compulsory education?
THIS IS A QUESTION OF VALUES, amenable to preference
We can study the scientific question and, based on a set of given values, we can make recommendations for action
Without a given set of values though, we cannot use science to recommend action
02:05:20 AM
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Education and Economic Productivity
A scientific investigation of the effects of education on economic productivity would be built, implicitly or explicitly, on some scientific theory
We might theorize that greater education leads to greater economic productivity
Explicitly as a theoretical model –
02:05:22 AM
6
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Education and Economic Productivity
To test this theory we can either –
METHOD 1: Conduct an experiment by inducing occurrences in a lab
METHOD 2: Gather data from existing occurrences
We might also completely fabricate a universe and induce conditions inside of that universe which is really another version of M1
The goal of either method is to ‘control’ away all of the stuff we’re not concerned with and to discern precisely the effects of the things we are concerned with given our questions
02:05:26 AM
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What Do the Findings Say about Action?
Assume our study shows that increases in education are certain to lead to greater economic productivity, then answer the following question using no other information –
SHOULD SC IMPLEMENT COMPULSORY COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR ALL CITIZENS?
How does science alone answer the question?
It doesn’t . . .
Now add your own values regarding education and economic productivity, then answer the question
Do you value economic productivity? How much?
Do you value the free will of the individual? How much?
Which do you value more?
. . . What, then, is your answer to the main question?
02:05:27 AM
8
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Facts, Values, and Action Decisions
Science says “All else being equal, if we increase education, economic productivity will increase.”
That’s all, nothing more