The Definition of Sanction

[Donovan A.]

Hello everyone,

I'm working on a very important paper. A section of the paper will be dealing with the issue of sanction. In The Contested Legacy of Ayn Rand Dr. Kelley defines sanction as follows: "The term [sanction] refers to the action of endorsing or approving something. To sanction is to express a conscious judgment that something is good, right, honorable, legitimate, etc." - CLAR p.34

I recall that Ayn Rand also defined sanction in this way. If my memory is correct, it was during a Ford Hall Forum Question and Answer session. Does anyone know in which Q&A she defined sanction? I remember her stating something like the following (by memory): "What I mean by sanction is moral approval."

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Best regards,

Randall

P.S. I have already checked Ayn Rand Answers, the ARI glossary of Objectivist Definitions, the Ayn Rand Lexicon and the Ayn Rand CDROM; none provide an actual definition.

[Philip Coates]

Randall,

If you are doing a paper for school, you should use terms as they are used in common English and in a series of dictionaries. Don't spend time trying to track down how Objectivists use the term, especially if it turns out to diverge.

You need to be speaking the same language as your professors.

[Donovan A.]

Hi Philip,

It's not for school and I'm not a student. The reference would be very helpful if anyone knows where it is.

Thanks so much,

Randall.

[Selene]

moral sanction

A Nation's Unity — Ayn Rand Lexicon Ayn Rand demonstrates how genuine unity rests upon the inviolability of individual rights. Q-&-A topics include the definition of a moral sanction; the feasibility of political ...

There are two (2) recordings and it might be in there.

[Donovan A.]

Thank you Selene! I loaded the Q&A and I'm listening now. I'll post the reference for others, if I find it.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Randall,

Here's a suggestion: "Volitional agreement with something."

That's not a quote (since I cannot find one), but covers the essentials.

Michael

[Donovan A.]

What Constitutes a Sanction?

"In a dictionary definition it has two meanings: one is approval, support, sponsorship. The other one sometimes used in international politics is almost the opposite: like to invoke sanctions against a country means: a blockade or a breach of diplomatic relationship or of trade. But the way I use the word sanction in a moral context is always in the sense of approval or sponsorship."

Ayn Rand - A Nation's Unity, Q&A, Track 1 at 2:40

- Thank you Selene. You saved me hours of time.

[Selene]

Randall:

My pleasure.

Adam

[Donovan A.]

I've recently encountered an interesting perspective/method regarding how to judge what is sanction. I'm not certain that I agree with the perspective/method. I am unfamiliar with the approach being advocated or taught by any major exponent or scholar of Objectivism. I've certainly never seen anything like it espoused by Rand (for whatever that's worth). Due to the nature of the material, I cannot disclose the author or directly quote from the document, but I would like to express the method, so that it can be discussed here.

I'm paraphrasing the perspective as follows using my own words and example:

To judge the issue of sanction requires thinking in principles. To think in principles means to think in essentials. A great method for thinking in principles is the use of definitions so that one can identify the relevant essentials, such that one identifies the genus and differentia in relation to some particular issue.

Example:

Christian Music Store

Genus - Retail Store

Differentia - Music seller - Particularly promoting Christian music/art/values.

What would buying music there sanction (if there is an alternative source): Christianity.

Has anyone seen or heard of this method of judging sanction issues before; if so, where? What do you think of the method? Do you agree or disagree and why.

Best regards,

Randall

[kiaer.ts]

The word is from the same root as sanctify and saint - i.e., to bless. While commenting on the Objectivist usage is perfectly cromulent, Phil is right to refer you to the dictionary, and an etymological dictionary is always the way to go. Buy a copy of Skeat's and of Watkins' dictionaries and check http://www.etymonlin...p?term=sanction the Online Etymology Dictionary.

Edited February 2, 2011 by Ted Keer

[BaalChatzaf]

Hello everyone,

I'm working on a very important paper. A section of the paper will be dealing with the issue of sanction. In The Contested Legacy of Ayn Rand Dr. Kelley defines sanction as follows: "The term [sanction] refers to the action of endorsing or approving something. To sanction is to express a conscious judgment that something is good, right, honorable, legitimate, etc." - CLAR p.34

I recall that Ayn Rand also defined sanction in this way. If my memory is correct, it was during a Ford Hall Forum Question and Answer session. Does anyone know in which Q&A she defined sanction? I remember her stating something like the following (by memory): "What I mean by sanction is moral approval."

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Best regards,

Randall

P.S. I have already checked Ayn Rand Answers, the ARI glossary of Objectivist Definitions, the Ayn Rand Lexicon and the Ayn Rand CDROM; none provide an actual definition.

From the dictionary: Please note the last meaning given below.

sanc·tion (sngkshn)n.1. Authoritative permission or approval that makes a course of action valid. See Synonyms at permission.2. Support or encouragement, as from public opinion or established custom.3. A consideration, influence, or principle that dictates an ethical choice.4.a. A law or decree.b. The penalty for noncompliance specified in a law or decree.5. A penalty, specified or in the form of moral pressure, that acts to ensure compliance or conformity.6. A coercive measure adopted usually by several nations acting together against a nation violating international law.tr.v. sanc·tioned, sanc·tion·ing, sanc·tions1. To give official authorization or approval to: "The president, we are told, has sanctioned greed at the cost of compassion"(David Rankin).2. To encourage or tolerate by indicating approval. See Synonyms at approve.3. To penalize, especially for violating a moral principle or international law.

Ba'al Chatzaf

Edited February 2, 2011 by BaalChatzaf

[Jerry Biggers]

Randall:

Here are some definitions of the "sanction of the victim" from Rand, Branden, and Peikoff sources>

from Nathaniel Branden, The Vision of Ayn Rand: Basic Principles of Objectivism (2009):

"The sanction of the victim means: the willingness to let one's own virtues be used by others against oneself. It means the willingness to bear injustice, to take actions which help others against one's own rational self-interest, and to concede moral validity to the claims of one's own destroyers." p. 488

Actually, this entire chapter (Ch. 19), "The Nature of Evil," is a discussion and elaboration of this definition, and there are other passages which may be useful in adding to this definition of the term.

See also p. 333,in Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand (1991) for another definition.

Atlas Shrugged; p.1066 (hardcover and full-size paperback-Plume edition; and page 990, popular size paperback). Closest definition of what she means by "sanction" in this context, starts with the paragraph, "I am speaking to....".

And, of course, it is illustrated throughout the book.

Edited February 2, 2011 by Jerry Biggers

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

What would buying music there sanction (if there is an alternative source): Christianity.

Randall,

I find that to be a stretch. How are you sanctioning Christian ideas that way?

But you actually do sanction something--Christian commerce. You implicitly sanction the right of Christians to sell their products on the open market when you freely choose to buy from them. And you sanction their right to make a profit from you by free trade.

Michael

[PDS]

What would buying music there sanction (if there is an alternative source): Christianity.

Randall,

I find that to be a stretch. How are you sanctioning Christian ideas that way?

But you actually do sanction something--Christian commerce. You implicitly sanction the right of Christians to sell their products on the open market when you freely choose to buy from them. And you sanction their right to make a profit from you by free trade.

Michael

Agreed on all points.

[Donovan A.]

What would buying music there sanction (if there is an alternative source): Christianity.

Randall,

I find that to be a stretch. How are you sanctioning Christian ideas that way?

But you actually do sanction something--Christian commerce. You implicitly sanction the right of Christians to sell their products on the open market when you freely choose to buy from them. And you sanction their right to make a profit from you by free trade.

Michael

Hi Michael,

The person who argued the essence of what I posted seems to have three issues regarding sanction: Thinking in principles, support (existential aid), and promoting.

Based on my experience, I'm very certain he would argue as follows:

1. In principle one should not support any institution that is (in essentials) against one's values.

2. Judge a business by its essentials using the genus and species method.

3. Existential aid will support a Christian store's ability to "promote" its Christian values.

4. Do not provide existential support to such a business, do not give it moral approval.

To provide some context, this example is an analogy. In actuality it's my business, The Culture of Reason Center which is the real target since I sell ("promote") works by David Kelley, in particular Unrugged Individualism. The fact that I agree with David Kelley, in his view, makes me like a Christian and since my store is so small, my selection of books holds more "weight" even though I have two explicit statements on my website which state the following:

- IdIdeas expressed in any of the materials, lectures or books sold or presented do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Culture of Reason Center (CRC) or its leadership.

- CRC is an independent entity and is not affiliated with nor endorsed by The Ayn Rand Institute, The Atlas Society or any other organizations.

Best regards,

Randall

Edited February 2, 2011 by Randall

[Selene]

The word is from the same root as sanctify and saint - i.e., to bless. While commenting on the Objectivist usage is perfectly cromulent, Phil is right to refer you to the dictionary, and an etymological dictionary is always the way to go. Buy a copy of Skeat's and of Watkins' dictionaries and check http://www.etymonlin...p?term=sanction the Online Etymology Dictionary.

Cromulent:

"Used in an ironical sense to mean legitimate, and therefore, in reality, spurious and not at all legitimate. Assumes common knowledge of the inherent Simpsons reference."

This is from the Urban Dictionary

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Randall,

There are two flaws in the argument that your person gives (from what you imagine his arguments will be):

1. Christianity is a monolithic thing.

2. Total lack of observation, with reliance instead on deducing reality from definitions.

The first needs no real discussion. If this person cannot see the difference between the Catholic Church and, say, the Trinity United Church of Christ (Reverend Wright), there's not much hope for him as a conceptual thinker.

In the second, a store that promotes something like Joel Olsteen's brand of Christianity--which is more like Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich than standard Christianity--is far, far different than, say, a Jim Jones or David Koresh. Nothing beats looking with your own eyes and seeing if you are going to buy off of one of the bad guys. These are extreme examples, but useful for clarifying the thought that observation trumps floating abstractions and oversimplifications.

Also, if your colleague wants to go to extremes, he should immediately stop watching television and listening to radio. Not only is it government-licensed, all channels promote ideas that are not Objectivst. He dare not sanction those ideas with his patronage.

He should probably get off the Internet, too, since he will be sanctioning the "open source" idea by simply using Apache hosting software to promote his "private property" should he own a site. (In other words, his property is not really his, so he should stop sanctioning this until he gets a full ownership system.)

And he probably should swear off the Declaration of Independence, which says inalienable rights come from God. Using his standard, that's a big honking idea sanction he makes if he says the Declaration of Independence should be taken seriously.

I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

Here's a thought. Your friend is a control freak. Nothing more fundamental than that. If you cave to his arguments, you are "sanctioning" his neurosis.

Michael

[kiaer.ts]

The word is from the same root as sanctify and saint - i.e., to bless. While commenting on the Objectivist usage is perfectly cromulent, Phil is right to refer you to the dictionary, and an etymological dictionary is always the way to go. Buy a copy of Skeat's and of Watkins' dictionaries and check http://www.etymonlin...p?term=sanction the Online Etymology Dictionary.

Cromulent:

"Used in an ironical sense to mean legitimate, and therefore, in reality, spurious and not at all legitimate. Assumes common knowledge of the inherent Simpsons reference."

This is from the Urban Dictionary

Urban Dictionary? Really, Adam? Have you sunken so low?

Here is what Wikipedia says:

Cromulent is an adjective that was coined by David S. Cohen.^[2] Since it was coined it has appeared in the Webster’s New Millennium Dictionary of English.^[14] The meaning of cromulent is inferred only from its usage, which indicates that it is a positive attribute. Webster's Dictionary defines it as meaning fine or acceptable.^[14]

[Selene]

The word is from the same root as sanctify and saint - i.e., to bless. While commenting on the Objectivist usage is perfectly cromulent, Phil is right to refer you to the dictionary, and an etymological dictionary is always the way to go. Buy a copy of Skeat's and of Watkins' dictionaries and check http://www.etymonlin...p?term=sanction the Online Etymology Dictionary.

Cromulent:

"Used in an ironical sense to mean legitimate, and therefore, in reality, spurious and not at all legitimate. Assumes common knowledge of the inherent Simpsons reference."

This is from the Urban Dictionary

Urban Dictionary? Really, Adam? Have you sunken so low?

Here is what Wikipedia says:

Cromulent is an adjective that was coined by David S. Cohen.^[2] Since it was coined it has appeared in the Webster's New Millennium Dictionary of English.^[14] The meaning of cromulent is inferred only from its usage, which indicates that it is a positive attribute. Webster's Dictionary defines it as meaning fine or acceptable.^[14]

Ted:

I thought the Simpsons was a funny aside.

Adam

Wondering how low we all can go