Propositional types

1
Propositional types

• Belief
• Value
• Policy
• Personal
• systemic

Smoking causes cancer.
Smoking is bad
Agent cupula action called for
You should quit smoking.
individual
advice
The US should outlaw smoking.
Coercive agent
Call for change of law, etc.
2
Burden of proof
He who asserts, must prove.
Proving
propositions
Gaining assent for
declarative sentence, thesis
entails presenting a
prima facie
Convincing a reasonable audience of good will on
first glanceabsent refutation
case
The collection of reasons advanced
for it.
3
Proposition of personal policy.
You should (not) do X
Why (not?)
because
X is good (bad.)
Proposition of value
1. Find criteria for problematic (good/bad)
2. Apply to matter under consideration (X)
4
Proposition of systemic policy
Deals with altering the state.
There is a presumption against altering the state
1. It typically increases coercion
State That agency in a society with a monopoly
on the legitimate use of coercion.
2. It always breaks promises.
Promise-keeping is essential for rational social
action.
5
Burden of proof on the Proposition of systemic
policy
(overcoming the presumption)
The advocate must establish the stock issues
6
The status quo has harms
Value dimension
Or,
The proposed plan will accrue advantages.
The harms/advantages are significant
A reasonable person would be willing to accept
the ignominy of breaking his/her word or
increasing the level of coercion to eliminate the
harm or gain the advantage.
The harms/advantages are inherent
The system causes the harms the advantages could
not possibly achieved without changing the legal
system.
7
The advocate needs to present a reasonably
detailed plan.
Typically, we do not need a detailed proposal,
but all the inherent features must be presented.
The advocate needs to show that the plan is
solvent.
We need to see how, if the plan is adopted, the
harm will be eliminated or the advantage gained.
The advocate needs to show that the plan is
workable.
Show that needed resources are available.
The advocate needs to be prepared to defend
against charges of disadvantages.
If challenged, the advocate must show that the
benefits would outweigh any problems that would
arise.
8
Stock issues summary

1. Show SQ has harms/plan has advantages.
2. Show the harms/advantages are significant.
3. Show the harms/advantages are inherent.
4. Present the inherent features of a plan.
5. Show the plan is solvent.
6. Show the plan is workable.
7. Defend against disadvantages.