Chapter Thirteen:Chapter Thirteen:Moral Realism and the Moral Realism and the

Challenge of SkepticismChallenge of SkepticismMoral RealismMoral Realism

This theory claims that moral facts exist and are This theory claims that moral facts exist and are part of the fabric of the universe: they exist part of the fabric of the universe: they exist independently of our thoughts about themindependently of our thoughts about them

TermsTerms•Nonnaturalism:Nonnaturalism: a theory held by a theory held by nonnaturalistic moral realistsnonnaturalistic moral realists who ground moral who ground moral values in nonnatural facts about the worldvalues in nonnatural facts about the world•Moral skepticism:Moral skepticism: a denial that moral values a denial that moral values are objectively factualare objectively factual•Moral nihilism:Moral nihilism: holds that there are no moral holds that there are no moral facts, no moral truths, and no moral knowledge.facts, no moral truths, and no moral knowledge.

Mackie’s Moral SkepticismMackie’s Moral Skepticism

•Argues “there are no objective values”, there Argues “there are no objective values”, there are no objective moral truthsare no objective moral truths•His view is not about the His view is not about the meaningmeaning of moral of moral statements but about objective statements but about objective factsfacts, about , about whether there are any factually right or good whether there are any factually right or good actions.actions.

Arguments from Relativity, Arguments from Relativity, Queerness, and ProjectionQueerness, and Projection

•Mackie offers three arguments for his skeptical Mackie offers three arguments for his skeptical position:position:•1. 1. Argument from relativityArgument from relativity: there is no : there is no universal moral code to which all people adhere universal moral code to which all people adhere toto•2. 2. Argument from queernessArgument from queerness: the implausiblity : the implausiblity of supposing that such things as values have an of supposing that such things as values have an independent existenceindependent existence

Arguments from Relativity, Arguments from Relativity, Queerness, and ProjectionQueerness, and Projection

• 3. 3. Argument from projectionArgument from projection: aims to show : aims to show that belief in objective value is the result of that belief in objective value is the result of psychological tendencies to project subjective psychological tendencies to project subjective beliefs to the outside worldbeliefs to the outside world

Harman’s Moral NihilismHarman’s Moral Nihilism

•Defends an extreme Moral Nihilism, morality Defends an extreme Moral Nihilism, morality is simply an illusionis simply an illusion•Disanalogy thesisDisanalogy thesis: moral principles cannot be : moral principles cannot be tested by observation in the same way that tested by observation in the same way that scientific theories can.scientific theories can.•We choose our moral values not because of the We choose our moral values not because of the way the world is, but because of the way we way the world is, but because of the way we were brought up into this world.were brought up into this world.

Criticism: Scientific and Moral Criticism: Scientific and Moral Observation are AnalogousObservation are Analogous

•There is no strong disanalogy between There is no strong disanalogy between scientific and moral observationscientific and moral observation•May not be able to be tested in the same way as May not be able to be tested in the same way as empirical theories but they can be testedempirical theories but they can be tested

A Defense of Moral RealismA Defense of Moral Realism

•Moral Facts about Happiness and SufferingMoral Facts about Happiness and Suffering•Universal and Supervenient PropertiesUniversal and Supervenient Properties•Noncognitivism and Moral RealismNoncognitivism and Moral Realism