I think determinism qualifies. Morality implies right versus wrong which implies the existence of errors. If everything is predetermined according to initial conditions, the concept of error becomes meaningless. You can’t correct your behavior any more than an atom on Mars can; que sera, sera. Everything becomes the consequence of the initial conditions of the universe at large and so morality becomes inconsequential. You can’t even change your mind on this topic because the only change possible is that dictated by initial conditions. If you imagine that you can, you do so because of the causal chain of events that necessitated it.
There’s no rationality or irrationality either because these concepts imply, once again, the possibility of errors in a universe that can’t err.
You’re an atheist? Not your choice. You’re a theist? Not your choice. You disagree with this sentiment? Again; que sera, sera.
How can moral realism be defended in a universe where no one is responsible for anything?
I disagree. Determinism doesn’t make the concepts of “control” or “causation” meaningless. It makes sense to say that, to a certain degree, you often can control your own attention, while in other circumstances you can’t: if there’s a really loud sound near you, you are somewhat forced to pay attention to it.
From there you can derive a concept of responsibility, which is used e.g. in law. I know that the book Actual Causality focuses on these ideas (but there might be other books on the same topics that are easier to read or simply better in their exposition).
That only works if you reject determinism. If the initial conditions of the universe resulted in your decision by necessity, then it’s not your decision, is it?
Moral realism:
I think determinism qualifies. Morality implies right versus wrong which implies the existence of errors. If everything is predetermined according to initial conditions, the concept of error becomes meaningless. You can’t correct your behavior any more than an atom on Mars can; que sera, sera. Everything becomes the consequence of the initial conditions of the universe at large and so morality becomes inconsequential. You can’t even change your mind on this topic because the only change possible is that dictated by initial conditions. If you imagine that you can, you do so because of the causal chain of events that necessitated it.
There’s no rationality or irrationality either because these concepts imply, once again, the possibility of errors in a universe that can’t err.
You’re an atheist? Not your choice. You’re a theist? Not your choice. You disagree with this sentiment? Again; que sera, sera.
How can moral realism be defended in a universe where no one is responsible for anything?
I disagree. Determinism doesn’t make the concepts of “control” or “causation” meaningless. It makes sense to say that, to a certain degree, you often can control your own attention, while in other circumstances you can’t: if there’s a really loud sound near you, you are somewhat forced to pay attention to it.
From there you can derive a concept of responsibility, which is used e.g. in law. I know that the book Actual Causality focuses on these ideas (but there might be other books on the same topics that are easier to read or simply better in their exposition).
That only works if you reject determinism. If the initial conditions of the universe resulted in your decision by necessity, then it’s not your decision, is it?