A Review of the book: "Universally Preferable Behavior: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics", by Stefan Molyneux of: http://www.freedomainradio.com
By Eugene, of: http://www.LessGovernment.com Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics, by Stefan Molyneux, is a difficult work to summarize without "giving it away," so to speak. Since this is a book I believe every human being who breathes and thinks should read, here I will briefly attempt to react to the ideas therein without overtly rehashing them in an unbecoming manner. First of all, it should be noted that Mr. Molyneux has crammed an enormous amount of material into a relatively short book (223 pages, including the index and all appendices). The writing style, fluid and swift, manages a good pace that simultaneously does not seem hurried or lacking in detail. Complex ideas are put forth and explored in a clear, concise, refreshing manner that many nonfiction philosophy writers should take note of. Aesthetically, the layout of the book is very clean, even offering a point-by-point summary of ideas toward the end. On a more personal note, many of Molyneux's descriptions and explanations are extraordinarily hilarious, and I suspect some of this is just natural humor rather than blatant attempts to be funny. Or maybe it's just my own eccentricity. At any rate, a dull slog through some forbidden philosophical swamp this is not. If you have a pulse, you should recognize the entertainment value of this work and that says a lot, given the serious subject matter, a testament to the author's adept employment of the English language. My only real complaint centers on occasional lines that refer to something mentioned "above," when in fact what is being referred to occurred many pages or sections back. While in word processor form, such references certainly pertain to something that occurred "above," but this is not so in printed form. As such, I had a few moments of slight confusion as I scanned toward the top of a page in search of something, but I eventually got used to it. Anyway, this is a minor point of contention over an arguably irrelevant detail. Someone else might not even notice. Not counting the introductory sections, UPB is divided into three parts: Theory, Application and Practice. "Part I: Theory" establishes the Universally Preferable Behavior framework by using logic and with a complete regard for known hang-ups, such as Hume's is/ought dichotomy and the bottomless pit known as utilitarianism. "Part II: Application" tests the UPB framework by examining a number of ethical scenarios (rape, murder, theft, fraud and lying). Obviously, the UPB concept would be immediately suspect if it were to conclude, for instance, that rape and murder are good (universally preferable) behaviors. Thus Molyneux's approach of first using his system to verify some of the values already held by most humans is a great place to start. "Part III: Practice" delves into the "null zone," a realm between "little truths" and "great truths" where nonexistent entities are allowed to completely rewrite or ignore reality. These entities are, of course, usually gods and governments, and Molyneux gives no quarter as these fanciful constructs are exposed for what they really are. The entire approach is extremely rational, and some readers might find themselves fascinated as they begin in Theory, where ethics are initially assumed to not exist, and behold the gradual process of reasoning which produces the UPB framework. Per Molyneux's intention, it becomes no more sane to call ethical propositions "relative" or "subjective" than to say the same of mathematics or the scientific method. We know two and two equal four, not five, and we know "murder is good" to be logically invalid. Further, two and two equal four regardless of what uniform a person wears, and "murder is good" remains invalid without respect to a person's race, title or professional affiliation. Early on, the author refers to philosophy's "greatest beast," a seemingly unconquerable monster that has bested thinker after thinker through the ages. I am certainly not qualified to determine whether the behemoth of secular ethics has at last met its end, and even Molyneux himself seems hesitant to make premature pronouncements of success, as he reveals prior to Part I. "Whether I have succeeded ... is not up to you, and it is not up to me. If the reasoning holds, the greatest beast is down." (Molyneux, UPB, pg. 16) Nonetheless, it is this layman's opinion that said beast is, at best, quivering on a cavern floor as it clings tenuously to life. If it survives, it will be only through a lame retreat into the "null zone," where down is up, gravity makes things fall skyward, and two plus two make five. Having read a great deal of material from many writers Rand, Rothbard, Nozick, Stirner, Nietzsche, and others I can say without a doubt that Stefan Molyneux has presented one of the most coherent and accessible explorations of philosophy one is likely to ever encounter. In fact, his UPB framework has been derived in such a consistent, logical manner that anyone who opposes it will be hard-pressed to do so without implicitly agreeing to it. When even your most vicious opponents are required to accept your premise before arguing against your position, you may be reasonably certain that you've done something right. Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics has the potential to be earth-shaking. The fact that it has been released as print-on-demand through Lulu is both a blessing and a curse a blessing because this most excellent work is available at all, but a curse because the potential audience is limited to the author's advertising capacity and that of readers. Nonetheless, while this can directly affect the dissemination of ideas, it has no bearing on the brilliance of the work itself. Perhaps, with time, this book will have a chance to herald the philosophical revolution that, in my opinion, it is truly capable of bringing about. ----- Special thanks goes to Mr. Molyneux for generously providing a copy of Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics for review. Stefan Molyneux's books, Podcasts, articles and message board are all available on his website, Freedomain Radio.
