A Response to Jaegwon Kim's Argument About the Causal Role of Moral Properties

Mohammadi Monfared, Behruoz

doi:10.22096/ek.2020.115107.1176

A Response to Jaegwon Kim's Argument About the Causal Role of Moral Properties

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Behruoz Mohammadi Monfared

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Islamic Education and Thought, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.22096/ek.2020.115107.1176

Abstract

There are different approaches to the causal role of moral attributes in the realization of physical affairs. Some such as Jaegwon Kim believe that ethical features, like mental affairs, do not have any causal role in the realization of physical affairs, and this is the reason for the existence of moral characteristics. In contrast, Shafer Landau believes that although ethical features do not have an independent role in physical affairs, this does not mean the absence of these features. And essentially, the existence or absence of moral attributes is not related to their role or not. In this paper, we observe that Shafer Landau rejects the first view. But Shafer Landau's view is also rejected. It is stated that, firstly, moral attributes have an causal role and, secondly, the causal role is the reason why those attributes are of existence. In this essay, ultimately formulate the causation argument in defense of moral realism, although we do not claim that we have a definite reason.

Keywords

Moral Property

Moral Realism

the Role of Cause

Kim Jaegwon

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