Fact and Value in International Relations

Abstract

Evolutionary biology explains why humans hold two kinds of morality: standard morality (based on the Golden Rule) and group moral ity. Group morality causes us to switch off our standard morality, such as our prohibition on killing, when we are threatened by an enemy or rival group. A new recognition of our psychological predilection to divide moral ity into these two codes of practice reveals the "real" reason behind the scholarly fact/value distinction in International Relations (IR) theory. Namely, "value" belongs to standard morality thinking and applies uncom fortably to the behavior of states. Academics defer to the state as the all- important entity on the world stage "factually" without realizing that they are thereby choosing, endorsing, and valuing group morality. They thus take a position that opposes (rather than merely ignores or disqualifies) standard morality; hence they are not "value-free."

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