hume's law: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowAcademic/Formal
Quick answer
What does “hume's law” mean?
A philosophical principle stating that one cannot logically derive an 'ought' (a moral prescription) from an 'is' (a factual description).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A philosophical principle stating that one cannot logically derive an 'ought' (a moral prescription) from an 'is' (a factual description).
A foundational concept in meta-ethics that highlights the presumed logical gap between descriptive statements (facts about the world) and prescriptive or normative statements (moral values, duties, obligations).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage difference; it is a standardized philosophical term in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical academic and philosophical connotations. In both, it is associated with debates about the foundation of ethics.
Frequency
Used exclusively in academic philosophical contexts with equal rarity in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “hume's law” in a Sentence
X invokes/appeals to Hume's law to argue that Y.Hume's law presents a problem for Z.The philosopher attempted to circumvent Hume's law.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hume's law” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The theorist was accused of Hume's law-ing by deriving policy imperatives directly from demographic data.
American English
- You can't just Hume's-law your way out of that ethical argument; you need a normative foundation.
adjective
British English
- His argument faced a Hume's-law objection from the panel.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in philosophy, ethics, political theory, and legal theory seminars and papers to discuss the logical foundation of moral claims.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would only appear in highly educated conversation.
Technical
A technical term in meta-ethics and analytical philosophy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hume's law”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hume's law”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hume's law”
- Using it to refer to any logical fallacy (it's specifically about fact-value).
- Confusing it with 'Hume's Fork' (a different Humean distinction about relations of ideas vs. matters of fact).
- Misspelling as 'Hume's Law' without the apostrophe 's'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is attributed to the 18th-century Scottish philosopher David Hume, though the term 'Hume's law' was coined later by philosophers interpreting his work.
No, it is a central point of contention in meta-ethics. Moral naturalists reject its strict separation, while non-naturalists and emotivists often accept it.
It is a more vivid and forceful synonym for Hume's law, emphasizing the severe, 'cutting' separation between facts and values.
Stating 'He is suffering' (a fact/IS) and concluding directly 'Therefore, you ought to help him' (a moral OUGHT) without any additional moral premise (e.g., 'One ought to alleviate suffering') is often cited as a violation.
Hume's law is usually academic/formal in register.
Hume's law: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhjuːmz ˌlɔː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhjuːmz ˌlɔ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To commit an is-ought fallacy (derived from Hume's law).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Hume says, 'Hmm... you CAN'T move from IS to OUGHT.' Remember 'IS' and 'OUGHT' are separated by a logical wall built by Hume.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LOGICAL BARRIER or GAP between two domains (facts and values).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary concern of Hume's law?