Can absolute determinism be reconciled with morality?

Question

If so, briefly explain.

Answer 1

The basic argument is put concisely here:

"...it is important to mention that if scientific determinism were true and psychology were a science with the potential of accurate prediction, it's quite possible the whole enterprise of ethics would be moot, since with no free will, we could not recommend or freely decide upon alternative courses of decision or action."

"Philosophical Ethics," _Readings in Philosophical Inquriy_, an online etext linked under "Source" below.


But many philosophers disagree with this reasoning by defining free will in such a way that compatibilism is possible. Hume for example described actions freely chosen as actions caused by our beliefs and thoughts.

Behaviorism, also, recognizes that determinism and moral responsibility are compatible. The reason given by B. F. Skinner, for example, is if we did not hold persons responsible for their actions we could not cause a change in their behavior. Philosophically, however, this essentially psychological account, in my opinion, is naive.

One cannot simply define away a conventional definition of free will.

Answer 2

Absolute Determinism

Answer 3

I think this depends on whether or not you believe our existance is based on absolute determinism or not. And what you consider to be moral. The concept of determinism states that everything happens in a predetermined way or preprogrammed way, if you will.

Free will could not exist if true determinism exists. I think determinism itself would be immoral.

Answer 4

If absolute determinism rules, then morality is more a description of parts of it, rather than a choice. But either way, morality still exists.

Answer 5

It depends on what you mean by morality. If morality means divine virtues, then we would concede that God precedes all; He is the cause of all; therefore, there you would have the root of moral values...

Answer 6

Ummmm, read Candide. That's what that guy was talking about when he explained that we live in the best of all possible worlds and that it's good that we have STD's because if we didn't have them we'd never have discovered chocolate.