Freedom and Determinism Chapter 2: part II Freedom and Determinism

Three Claims Associated with the Freedom/ Determinism debate: We are determined. If we are determined, then we lack the freedom necessary to be morally responsible. We do have the freedom necessary to be morally responsible. One cannot consistently accept all of these claims. Which do you think one can most plausibly reject?

Three views on Freedom Hard Determinism: All events, including all human behaviors, are caused. Genuine freedom is an illusion and so there is no moral responsibility. (Accepts claims 1 & 2) Indeterminism: Some events are uncaused. (Accepts claim 2, may or may not accept claim 3) Simple Indeterminism does not necessarily imply human beings have freedom, nor does it imply we are responsible for our actions. Libertarianism: Indeterminists who are also committed to the view that human beings possess metaphysical freedom and moral responsibility(Accepts claims 2 and 3) Compatibilism: Freedom and Determinism can be reconciled (Accepts claims 1 & 3). Compatibilists reject metaphysical freedom but accept circumstantial freedom. Compatibilists hold that, though our behaviors are entirely determined, we are still sometimes morally responsible for our actions.

Three views on Freedom Hard Determinism is committed to the principle of universal causality, which is the view that every event, including human actions, are brought about by previous events in accordance with the natural laws that govern the world. Human freedom is an illusion. Hard determinists reject the notion of metaphysical freedom (see libertarianism). Some common causes as put forth by determinists are: Human nature Environment Psychological forces Social dynamics

Indeterminism Indeterminism is the view that some events, including human actions, are not necessarily determined by previous events in accordance with the natural laws that govern the world.

Libertarianism Libertarianism is the view that humans are able to make authentically free choices that are not determined by previous events in accordance with the natural laws that govern the world. In other words, they are indeterminists. Given identical circumstances, say the libertarians, a free person “could have done otherwise.” Libertarians believe that people possess metaphysical freedom, which means that no set of antecedent conditions (or circumstances) are ever sufficient to guarantee that a free person will act in any particular way. According to this view, the behaviors of free beings cannot be, even theoretically, fully predicted.

Compatibilism Compatibilism (or Soft Determinism) is a view that maintains that all events, including human actions, are caused. That is, they are equally committed to the principle of universal causality as Hard Determinists. ompatibilists contend, this does not imply that people never act freely. We can consider human actions free, they say, if those actions are a result of internal motivations, not the product of external influences or constraints. Compatibilists believe that the only meaningful sense of freedom is “circumstantial freedom” which means that the circumstances in which a person acts do not restrain or coerce them to do something other than what they want to do.

Hard Determinism Terms and Concepts you should know at this point: Universal Causation Hard Determinism Theological Determinism Pantheism Libertarianism

Hard Determinism Some distinctions you should be aware of:   Metaphysical Freedom vs. Circumstantial Freedom Spontaneity vs. Impulsiveness

Hard Determinism Some Names you should know: Simone Laplace   Simone Laplace B.F. Skinner Samuel Butler Clarence Darrow Spinoza

Hard Determinism Key Questions: Is it possible for an event to occur with no cause? In what sense might our feeling of “freedom” really be due to “ignorance?” Is it arrogant to assume that we are so different than other things in the universe that we somehow escape the principles of universal causation? If everything we do and think is caused to be, then can we possibly be responsible for the things we do? Is it possible to change your personality and yet remain yourself? If people aren’t determined, why and how does education work?

Libertarianism Terms and Concepts you should know at this point: Agency theory Event-causation Agent-causation Indeterminism Antecedent Conditions Existentialism Facticity Transcendence Bad Faith Anguish

Libertarianism Some distinctions you should be aware of: Methodological Determinism vs. Universal Determinism

Libertarianism Some Names you should know: Arthur Eddington   Arthur Eddington Richard Taylor Jean Paul Sartre

Libertarianism Key Questions: How can we assign a cause to an event until after the event occurs? If we possess metaphysical freedom, can our freedom be limited by influences? Does it make sense to speak of “degrees of freedom?” Do we choose our emotional states? It is, perhaps, logically possible that others may totally and accurately predict our behavior, but is it logically possible that we may predict our own behavior?

Compatibilism Terms and Concepts you should know at this point: Verbal Dispute External Causes Internal Causes

Compatibilism Free action vs. Uncaused action Some distinctions you should be aware of: Free action vs. Uncaused action

Compatibilism Some Names you should know: W.T. Stace Daniel Dennett

Compatibilism Key Questions: If we are responsible for those acts that originate in our own personalities, but we are not responsible for our personalities, how is it that we are responsible for our actions?