Your remark about the “oughts” and system of values in political science leaves me rather cold. If as I think, the values are simply generalizations … - Oliver Wendell Holmes

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Your remark about the “oughts” and system of values in political science leaves me rather cold. If as I think, the values are simply generalizations emotionally expressed, the generalizations are matters for the same science as other observations of fact. If as I sometimes suspect, you believe in some transcendental sanction, I don't. Of course, different people, and especially different races, differ in their values — but those differences are matters of fact and I have no respect for them except my general respect for what exists. Man is an idealizing animal — and expresses his ideals (values) in the conventions of his time. I have very little respect for the conventions in themselves, but respect and generally try to observe those of my own environment as the transitory expression of an eternal fact. . .