Freedom, Society, and State - Ludwig von Mises Institute

But as Arnold Brecht, among others, has noted,
while there are no logical links between the is and
the ought, there may be factual or empirical links
bet wee nthe two. ( 26 ) This dis tinc t ion i s rna dec I ear i n
the following syllogisms:
1.
2.
3.
Syllogism A
Man exists.
Murder terminates
that existence.
Hence, murder is
wrong.
1.
2.
3.
Syllogism B
Man has a right to
exist.
Murder terminates that
existence.
Hen c e, mur d e r i s wr 0 ng •
Syllogism C
1. Fred believes that man has a right to exist.
2. Murder violates that existence.
3 • Hen ce, itis wr 0 ng for Fred tomur de r •
I tis 0 b v i 0 u s t hat inS y 1 log ism A the norrna t i ve
conclusion that one ought not to murder does not follow
log i c a I I Y fro m the f act ualp rem isethat rna n ex i s t s •
T h j sis a c 1 ear v i 0 I a t ion 0 f the i s - 0 ugh t d i c hot omy .
It is at least conceivable that man should not exist,
in which case murder would be morally good. The moral
i n j u n c t ion not to. mu r d e r does f 0 I 1ow log i c a I I Y from
its prem i s e inSy 1log ism B. The prob I em her e, tho ugh,
is that of demonstrating the validity of the premise.
Unless its val idi ty can be demonstrated it is nothing
m0 ret han a n ass e r t ion wh i c h, even i f t rue, cannot be
ver i f i ed. Thus, it has no more logical val idity than
.its conve r s e : rna n has nor i g h t toexis t • Insy I log ism
C, however, the conclusion that one ought not to murder
a v 0 ids bot h 0 f thesediff i cuI ties : ( a ) the mo ralinjunction
follows logically from the premise and (b) the
prem i s e has a f act u a lor em p i rica 1 s tat us wh i chi s
capable of verification (or falsification).
I believe that the Rothbardian position can be reformulated
after the fashion of Syllogism C. This can
be done, moreover, in a way which enables it both (a)
to meet the problem of the is-ought dichotomy while (b)
sti 11 keeping its comprehensive scope virtually intact.
The reformulation would read as follows:
1. If one values life more highly than death
then he ought to adopt measures to sustain
I i f e.
2. Self-ownership and property ownership are
necessary to sustain life.
3. Everyone wants to live.
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