What is Moral Folk Theory?

What is Moral Folk Theory?

The attempt to seek knowledge presupposes that the world unfolds in a systematic pattern and that we can gain knowledge of that unfolding. Cognitive science identifies several ideas that seem to come naturally to us and labels such ideas as “Folk Theories”.

The Folk Theory of the Intelligibility of the World
The world makes systematic sense, and we can gain knowledge of it.

The Folk Theory of General Kinds
Every particular thing is a kind of thing.

The Folk Theory of Essences
Every entity has an “essence” or “nature,” that is, a collection of properties that makes it the kind of thing it is and that is the causal source of its natural behavior.

The consequences of the two theories of kinds and essences are:

The Foundational Assumption of Metaphysics
Kinds exist and are defined by essences.

We may not want our friends to know this fact but we are all metaphysicians. We, in fact, assume that things have a nature thereby we are led by the metaphysical impulse to seek knowledge at various levels of reality.

Cognitive science has uncovered these ideas they have labeled as Folk Theories. Such theories when compared to sophisticated philosophical theories are like comparing mountain music with classical music. Such theories seem to come naturally to human consciousness.

What is Moral Law Folk Theory?

Moral Law Folk Theory, encoded within objectivist philosophy, holds “that there are absolute moral laws, that they can be discovered by reason, and that they can be applied directly and objectively to real situations.”

SGCS (Second Generation Cognitive Science) claims and I agree that “it is morally irresponsible to think and act as though we possess a universal, disembodied reason that generates absolute rules, decision-making procedures, and universal or categorical laws by which we can tell right from wrong in any situation we encounter.”

Folk Theories are based upon the book by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson Philosophy in the Flesh

Moral Law Folk Theory is based upon the book by Mark Johnson Moral Imagination

edit: link didn't work 🙁

Originally posted by coberst
The Folk Theory of General Kinds
Every particular thing is a kind of thing.

Was this discovered by the scientists who proved that objects are harder to see when they're farther away?

I seriously don't know what to do about this guy's posts. They aren't off topic, per se. But he just spams random clippings from others' work and then never shows in a thread again. It feels like spam to me. I may just appeal to other mods and see what they have to say.

It's too bad, because the subjects he brings up are interesting and different from most overdone KMC fare (eg, evolution vs ID). But he doesn't seem to want to discuss or debate; there's apparently another agenda. While I'm tempted to say treat his posts as spam, perhaps just let the KMC members decide. Either we'll respond or we won't, and if we don't maybe he'll either stop posting or start to respond as a live human with real opinions (less likely but one can always hope).

The world makes systematic sense, and we can gain knowledge of it.

What would the alternative to this be? Solipsism?

Originally posted by Digi
I seriously don't know what to do about this guy's posts. They aren't off topic, per se. But he just spams random clippings from others' work and then never shows in a thread again. It feels like spam to me. I may just appeal to other mods and see what they have to say.

How does one debate graffiti?

What could motivate you to describe your posts as an attempt to deface the site?

Apathy.

...

Alternatively, a crushing need for attention so urgent that even the petty disdain and minor confusion of those few people affected by your actions feels like a veritable feast of interpersonal interaction; a feast that, despite its open arms and the cloying allure of even middling societal immersion, must be turned away solely on the basis of personal insecurity is no feast at all. It would turn to ashes in your mouth.

Or maybe I'm just projecting.

Originally posted by Red Nemesis
What would the alternative to this be?

that cause and effect are not related

Originally posted by Red Nemesis
Alternatively, a crushing need for attention so urgent that even the petty disdain and minor confusion of those few people affected by your actions feels like a veritable feast of interpersonal interaction; a feast that, despite its open arms and the cloying allure of even middling societal immersion, must be turned away solely on the basis of personal insecurity is no feast at all. It would turn to ashes in your mouth.

sets a new bar for troll bashing...

Originally posted by Red Nemesis
Alternatively, a crushing need for attention so urgent that even the petty disdain and minor confusion of those few people affected by your actions feels like a veritable feast of interpersonal interaction; a feast that, despite its open arms and the cloying allure of even middling societal immersion, must be turned away solely on the basis of personal insecurity is no feast at all. It would turn to ashes in your mouth.

😂

*considers profiling this*

sets a new bar for troll bashing...

😱

My life is complete!

😂

*considers profiling this*

*wishes could think of further witticisms*