ThereYour question delves into the core of ethical and moral philosophy. It seems you're asking about arguments that might justify or explain a lack of action or responsibility in the face of clear opportunities to do good or prevent harm. While there are many ways to approach this question, I'll focus on a few key arguments made against moral responsibility by various philosophical schools of thought:concepts and theories that might be relevant.
Determinism - If human actions are predetermined by previous causes, some argue we cannot be morally responsible for our actions. This view sees free will as an illusion.
Hard incompatibilism - Some hold free will is incompatible with determinism and moral responsibility requires free will, so no one can be morally responsible.
Nihilism - From a nihilist perspective, there are no objective moral truths or values, so moral responsibility itself is meaningless.
Moral skepticism - Skeptics argue we cannot have moral knowledge, so cannot make definitive claims about moral duties or responsibility.
Egoism - Ethical egoists only focus on furthering self-interest, not universal moral responsibility.
Relativism - Moral relativists believe morals derive from social/cultural context, not universal responsibilities.
Absurdism - Absurdists see life as chaotic and meaningless, so no cohesive moral purpose exists to ground responsibility.
Moral Relativism: This is the belief that moral judgments and values are culture-specific and personal. In this perspective, what may seem like a clear opportunity to do good or prevent harm may not be perceived as such by everyone, because their cultural or personal values differ.
Nihilism: This philosophical belief asserts that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. In extreme forms of nihilism, moral principles are viewed as arbitrary, and so there may be no inherent value or obligation in doing good or preventing harm.
Psychological Egoism: This is the view that individuals are always motivated by self-interest, even in what seem to be acts of altruism. A person subscribing to this view might argue that they are not obligated to act unless there is a clear benefit to themselves.
Determinism: This is the philosophical concept that all events, including moral choices, are determined completely by previously existing causes. In a deterministic view, the concept of responsibility is fundamentally flawed because people don't truly have free will to make different choices.
Existentialism/Heidegger's Inauthenticity: In Heidegger's existential philosophy, 'inauthenticity' refers to living unreflectively or conforming to societal norms without questioning. An 'inauthentic' individual might not take responsibility because they are not fully engaged with their own existence or the consequences of their actions.
You're correctRemember, these are not necessarily "arguments against responsibility," but rather perspectives that Heidegger saw "inauthenticity" as failingmight lead someone to make choices for oneself by blindly following others' rules and valuesavoid action in situations where others might see a clear moral imperative. But he still felt humans have free willThese views are widely debated in philosophical and can potentially achieve authenticity by exercisingethical discussions, and they don't represent the only ways to approach the question of moral responsibility.