Q&A: Logic of Normative / Evaluative Inferences
Logic of Normative / Evaluative Inferences
Question
Hello, Rabbi,
In your book “Truth and Not Stability” you described synthetic logic and its structure in scientific / factual questions.
My question is whether there is also an orderly logical system for inferences in the normative / evaluative sphere. Is it different from the system you described, or is it the same system? If so, how does it work in that sphere—how does one arrive at a “correct” answer (to a reasonable degree) in questions of morality or aesthetics?
If you wrote about this and I missed it, a reference would be enough. In any case, thank you.
Answer
Logic is logic, and by its very nature it does not depend on the content domains in which it is applied. From ethical premises you infer ethical conclusions, and from factual premises you infer factual conclusions.