Does anyone own "The Moral Landscape"?

[The Grand Nudger]

I think that people put far too much stock into moral dilemmas, as though their existence is indicative of a flaw in a moral system.  All sufficiently complex value systems will necessitate dilemma.  If my entire schema was I like chocolate - I would never have any dilemma at the ice cream isle.  The moment I add just one other flavor...well. 

I was reading a few summaries and some criticism of the book and he does mention that even within his own utilitarian hedonism..there is more than one way to flourish..some of them at odds with each other.  

What problems do you see arising from the is-ought issue?

The dilemmas show that you can't simply "use science" to decide answers.

Not at all.  If I called the many answers to the question "How is flight achieved" dilemmas..would that demonstrate that one can't use science to decide answers?  

It's a matter of assigning weight to competing outcomes and undesirable but necessary effects.

Sure.  I think that this is what Harris thinks science can help us to determine.

Well, I think Hume is totally correct that you can't get an "ought" from an "is". Every attempt I've ever seen is circular at best, and applies only to the person attempting the bridge the gap (and anyone who happens to agree with them on every moral issue). There's no universal "ought" available, without simply announcing it as a result of personal or group values.

The is ought problem is not that you can't get from one to the other, Hume contended that one required an evaluative premise to do so. This is one of the places I think Harris communicated poorly. He has one, he talks about it alot, but he never comes out and says "if" your goal (or the goal of morality) is x.....then one can take how something is, in reference to that x, and derive an ought. It's implicit in his contention, though.

(it's kindof his gimmick all the time, from the discussions we've had about the guy on the boards, and his arguments. He stacks the necessary assumptions into the first move, and having agreed with them..the rest follows, even if it follows in an unsatisfying way)