The ‘Is-Ought’ Distinction and the Transition to the Green Economy: The Impact of History

A presentation undertook at the Doctoral Training Alliance Summer School detailing the need to decarbonise in a just and fair manner, and how the 'is-ought' distinction, which is a philosophical problem, is helpful in achieving this. The presentation aimed to go one step further and stimulate thought about how the 'is-ought' distinction can be helpful to historians when trying to make an impact with their work. As historians work in the past, there is a lazy stereotype that historical
analyses do not have an impact, and some historians themselves often struggle to understand how their research can have a significant impact outside academia. The ‘is-ought’ distinction provides a useful starting point for historians in this regard, promoting the question; if History articulates what has been, how can we extrapolate what ought to be?