Lee Furman, 1935. This paper presents a significant philosophical argument for value pluralism. Refining and extending his doctoral thesis, Locke draws on the twin influences of the pragmatist William James and the idealist Josiah Royce. Asserting that all philosophies are expressions of social life rather than abstract, disembodied derivations of an objective reality, Locke argues for the rejection of metaphysical absolutism. Value imperatives should be understood without appeal to value absolutes.
All philosophies contain implicit or explicit value propositions.
Positivism, in its drive for neutrality opposes traditional values and in so doing posits countervalues. This point has important consequences. Among them, is the blurring of the fact-value distinction that is essential to positivism. Facts are not purely objective observations or reports about reality. Rather, Locke makes the point that facts are what people interpret them to be.