Nature and rules of behaviour

Abstract

Conceptions deducing the rules of behaviour from nature (doctrines of nature) are analysed on the basis of a model involving three assumptions: the existence of nature, the deductibility of rules from nature, and natural rules as a criterion of valuation. Three basic constructions of nature are distinguished: „real nature” (nature in a descriptive naturalistic approach), two kinds of „ethical nature” (nature approached by description with a selection of characteristics based on ethical valuation, nature characterized in an ethical way), „logical nature” (natural characteristics as „significant” for a class of referents in a given language).