Can the Facts Tell Us What Ought to Be?

Do we answer normative questions, including the question ‘how should we live together’ by engaging in abstract metaphysical theorizing, or by studying the empirical social world as it presents itself? Can the facts ever tell us what ought to be? This chapter argues that our answers to normative questions depend on some facts: They depend on ontological presuppositions about the kind of creatures we are; on contextual facts about the nature of the social relationships within which normative questions arise; and on the information technologies we have and which shape society. These facts determine which answers to normative questions are most relevant. Lastly, a worthwhile answer to normative questions will also depend on the inclusion of practical knowledge that helps us enact and realize stipulated ideals.