The role of value in the world of psychology.

Abstract

The mechanistic view of Newtonian science was interpreted by German holism to consist of barren facts and purposeless theories. The assumption that the whole determines the operation of its parts enables holism to provide moral value and existential meaning to human existence. Whereas a positivist view of science assumes that facts cannot logically yield moral values that are right for humankind, holism contends that human values can be revealed in a scientific manner. The same epistemological process that allows holism and humanistic psychology to generate a psychologically demanded morality has also justified Nazi and Communist ideology. The logic of the fact/value dichotomy and the inevitable ascendancy of moral pluralism prevent scientific psychology from serving a democratic society as a pipeline to moral truth or to a positive conception of mental health. Psychological research can estimate the consequences of competing social policies and thus assist a democracy in making informed choices.Editor's note. William C. Howell served as action editor for this article.

Naturalistic Fallacy Errors and Behavioral Science News: The Effects of Editorial Content and Cautions on Readers' Moral Inferences and Perceptions of Contributors

“…No empirical description of nature necessarily determines a particular course of action or moral conclusion. Research can inform moral and prescriptive conclusions with respect to particular goals and objectives, but the specific results cannot specify what those moral ends should be (Kendler, 1999).…”

“…Researchers themselves might fall prey to such inferences in interpreting their own work (Kendler, 1999), although many do explicitly disavow attempts at equating ''is'' and ''ought'' via their findings. Perhaps more critically, however, external consumers of behavioral science researchreporters, editorialists, and the people who read their work, for example-might believe that specific moral conclusions necessarily follow from certain findings or that the researchers, at least, are seeking to make such claims.…”

The Ethics of Psychology's Role in Politics and the Development and Institution of Social Policy

“…Historically, holism and science have been contrasted against one another. Holism, which postulates that the whole determines the operation of its parts, suggests that human values and morals can be revealed scientifically (Kendler, 1999). Science, often viewed mechanically as isolated facts and theories, has not typically addressed human values and morals and, in fact, postulates that these areas are not in its purview (Kendler, 1999).…”

“…Holism, which postulates that the whole determines the operation of its parts, suggests that human values and morals can be revealed scientifically (Kendler, 1999). Science, often viewed mechanically as isolated facts and theories, has not typically addressed human values and morals and, in fact, postulates that these areas are not in its purview (Kendler, 1999). The dichotomy between facts and values makes logical and intuitive sense because, whereas one cannot argue with a true fact (e.g., this rock weighs 2 pounds), a value (e.g., racism is wrong) will almost always meet with strong opposition by some portion of the population (Kendler, 1999).…”

“…Science, often viewed mechanically as isolated facts and theories, has not typically addressed human values and morals and, in fact, postulates that these areas are not in its purview (Kendler, 1999). The dichotomy between facts and values makes logical and intuitive sense because, whereas one cannot argue with a true fact (e.g., this rock weighs 2 pounds), a value (e.g., racism is wrong) will almost always meet with strong opposition by some portion of the population (Kendler, 1999). For this reason, moral pluralism (i.e., the existence of many ethical systems to which people may have allegiance) is increasingly gaining acceptance in our society (Kendler, 1999(Kendler, , 2000.…”