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conclusion must always have a statement of value (Radcliffe, 2000). If I say, “Annie
lied to you about where she was last night”, I am making a statement about the way that
Annie has behaved. If instead I say, “Annie should not lie”, I am making a value
judgement. I have made my subjective evaluation about how Annie ought to behave
and making a statement expressing my assessment of the situation. Consider again
Adam’s decision to buy a diamond. The price of the diamond is $5000. Now Adam
thinks the diamond ought to be priced at $4000. Adam is making a statement about the
value he has placed on the diamond. The is statement describes the objective evidence.
The ought statement is a subjective statement of value.
Hume was also concerned with the motivation for actions. He argued that reason alone
can never be a motive for action, and that reason can never oppose passion over the
direction of action (Radcliffe, 2000). Hume explains his argument in A Treatise of
Human Nature.
Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never
pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them.
Hume, 1969, p. 462
According to Hume, the impetus for action always originates with the passions. Hume
makes the distinction between direct and indirect passions. The direct passions either
follow immediately from pleasure or pain, or else they are instinctive propensities
which produce pleasure or pain (Radcliffe, 2000). For example, in the first instance, if I
decide to go and watch a movie, my motive for action is driven by the pleasure which I
will gain from seeing the film. In the second instance, my choosing to eat is driven by
the instinctive propensity to relieve my hunger. The relief of hunger is pleasurable, as is
the experience of eating my favourite meal. Conversely, the indirect passions are those
which are caused in us by reflection on pleasure and pain in cooperation with other
perceptions (Radcliffe, 2000). Hume identifies amongst these, love, hatred, envy, pity,
malice and generosity (Hume, 1969, p. 328). In making the distinction between direct
and indirect passions, Hume always refers to the direct passions when discussing
motives for actions (Radcliffe, 2000).
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