dutiesthat

Dutiesthat is a theoretical construct used in normative linguistics and computational ethics to quantify the normative force of a declarative proposition. It denotes the degree to which a statement conveys obligation, duty, or duty-like force. The concept is employed to compare how strongly different prescriptions urge compliance and to support formal reasoning about moral language in AI and philosophy.

Formal framework: Let P be a proposition expressing a normative claim. The dutiesthat value D(P) assigns a scalar degree of obligation to P, typically within the interval [0,1]. D(P) = 0 indicates no obligation, while D(P) = 1 indicates absolute obligation; intermediate values reflect varying strengths of recommendation or duty. D(P) can be derived from linguistic cues (modals and prescriptive verbs), context, cultural norms, and the intended author’s stance. In deontic logic, dutiesthat complements modal operators by providing a graded, context-sensitive sense of obligation rather than a binary yes/no.

Etymology and usage: The term dutiesthat is a neologism coined to facilitate formal analysis of normative sentences without conflating obligation with preference or permission. It is used in linguistic annotation schemes, philosophical analyses of moral language, and in natural language processing systems that model normative reasoning.

Examples and applications: “You must stop at red” typically carries a high dutiesthat, whereas “You should consider stopping at red” is lower. Applications include evaluating legal or policy statements, improving chatbot ethical reasoning, and benchmarking deontic reasoning in AI.

Limitations: Dutiesthat relies on culturally situated norms and context, making cross-cultural calibration challenging. It is an abstraction that may oversimplify how people actually interpret obligation in real discourse.

See also: normative ethics, deontic logic, obligation, normative language.