I think it’s meant to designate the idea that “whatever humans happen to prefer”, aka “h-right,” is in some way privileged.
The intention (I think) is something like “Just because humans prefer X, that’s no reason we should attempt to maximize X.” Human preferences are not licensed, in the sense of authorized or privileged.
(I agree with that, as far as it goes. Of course, the post seems to go on to say that what is actually licensed is what’s right, and it so happens that (at least some) human preferences are right, so (at least some) human preferences happen to be licensed… but they are licensed because they are right, not because they are human. I get off the train sometime before it reaches that station.)
Caveat: Much of the metaethics sequence I either don’t understand or disagree with, so I am far from presenting myself as an expert here. I answer the question as much in the hopes of getting corrected by others as anything else. Still, I haven’t come up with another interpretation that makes nearly as much sense to me.
I think it’s meant to designate the idea that “whatever humans happen to prefer”, aka “h-right,” is in some way privileged.
The intention (I think) is something like “Just because humans prefer X, that’s no reason we should attempt to maximize X.” Human preferences are not licensed, in the sense of authorized or privileged.
(I agree with that, as far as it goes. Of course, the post seems to go on to say that what is actually licensed is what’s right, and it so happens that (at least some) human preferences are right, so (at least some) human preferences happen to be licensed… but they are licensed because they are right, not because they are human. I get off the train sometime before it reaches that station.)
Caveat: Much of the metaethics sequence I either don’t understand or disagree with, so I am far from presenting myself as an expert here. I answer the question as much in the hopes of getting corrected by others as anything else. Still, I haven’t come up with another interpretation that makes nearly as much sense to me.