Q&A: The Naturalistic Fallacy
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
The Naturalistic Fallacy
Question
Hello Rabbi, I have often heard about the naturalistic connection that points to a fallacy in deriving value conclusions from factual premises, and vice versa. My question is why it is valid. That is, what exactly is the problem with moving between facts and values?
Answer
The problem is that one does not necessarily follow from the other. Isn’t it clear to you that from the premise that the chair next to me is brown, it does not necessarily follow that it is beautiful? There is always some additional hidden premise, for example, that whatever is brown is beautiful.