Quotation of the day… Examiners tip When explaining the causes of hard determinism, do not just list them. Show the examiner that you understand why psychology, genetics, natural law, etc could be seen as causes of hard determinism. Do this by giving brief explanations of what each term means and an equally brief example of the same, showing all the time how it relates to determinism. ‘Pear trees cannot bear bananas. The instincts of a Spaniel cannot be the instincts of an ostrich. Everything is planned, connected, limited.’ Khayyam, 1120

Quick Quiz Erasmus was a … Soft determinists are… Tabula Rasa (John Lock) is this idea hard/soft? Hume – ‘Liberty of spontaneity’??? Aquinas P18 – said about The Fall… Honderich said… Diminished responsibility means…it connects to… Thomas Reid – ‘common- sense philosophy’ Adam Smith – ‘capitalist economy theory’ Fredrich Hayak – humans should be free from social conditioning. Libertarian definition. John Stuart Mill (Bowie p. 6/7) Human personality is an expression of free will. Luther said…is he a soft, lib, hard? Calvin – pre-destination

The libertarian believes that though some elements of the personality are defined by external factors this will only increase our disposition toward the completion of an action and never ensure that said action will occur. This disposition can always be overridden by the moral self. Thus, the libertarian argues an agent can always 'step out nature' and make a decision which runs contrary to the tendency of their personality. Cambell describes this as a 'casually undetermined choice'. A libertarian believes that even when under the compulsions of an external cause you make a free choice. Therefore, if the police beat you until you sign a confession - you still make the choice to the sign the confession. The Soft Determinist believes that in that case signing the confession would not be an act of free will, but something which happens because of an external cause. Conversely, a Soft determinist takes a deterministic view and argues all human actions are caused. A 'free' action is simply one which is determined by internal causes such as the desires and the beliefs of an individual. Rather than an action dictated by external pressure, such as signing a confession because the police beat you. The essential difference is that the Libertarian believes the laws of cause and effect can be overridden.

Libertarianism or Incompatibilism “We are free and morally responsible for our actions”

Do we have freewill? In order to make a decision you must have more than one choice open to you. Make a list of all the decisions you have made in the last 24 hours.

Bruce Almighty What does God mean when he says, “Yes you can.” What is freewill? What would humans be without freewill? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6et2ZSodS0g

Libertarianism rejects determinism because it rejects moral responsibility. It also rejects determinism because we have a sense of freedom to act. Libertarians are also called Incompatibilists because they maintain that freewill in incompatible with determinism.

Plato (428-347 BCE) Said in ‘Republic’: ‘Your destiny shall not be allotted to you, but you shall choose it for yourselves’

Libertarians do not reject determinism altogether. They agree that the inanimate world is determined. They deny that causation applies to human action. It may be that the kleptomaniac left on his own in a shop will steal but no one can be certain.

Personality and Moral Self In less than fifty words, describe your own personality. What determines your personality? Complete this table: Personality Moral self

Personality Moral self Empirical concept Ethical concept Governed by causal laws Operates when we decide what to do it situations of moral choice Capable of scientific explanation and prediction Involved deciding between self-interest and duty Known through observation of behaviour and psychoanalysis Can be undetermined Limits our choices – makes us more likely to choose certain kinds of actions. E.g. youth accustomed to violence is more likely to decide on a career of violence BUT not inevitable. Youth might be aware of significance of his actions. Their moral self might counteract. They could become a policeman as a result of their upbringing Can subdue inclinations of upbringing Can do something that satisfies moral duty

Libertarians distinguish between personality and your moral self. A moral agent can overcome the pressures exerted on him by his own personality and becomes morally responsible for his own actions. This distinguishes man from animals.

Determinists reject this! If our personality can be determined by heredity and environment – why can’t moral attitudes by conditioned in the same way? Why is a person free to choose between duty and desire but is not free in other choices. (Libertarians have assumed the existence of freewill in situations of moral choice but provide no evidence for it)

David Hume (1711-1776) Described liberty in his ‘Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding’ where he said: ‘by liberty, then, we can only mean a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will; that is, if we choose to remain at rest, we may; if we choose to move, we also may’.

Neither view matches reality.’ 1 (a) ‘Both libertarianism and determinism have a view of the human condition. Neither view matches reality.’ Explain libertarian and determinist views of the human condition. (30 marks) What is the relationship between freedom and moral responsibility? Explain the concepts of the personality and the moral self in libertarianism. (30 marks) AO1   ‘In libertarianism there is no moral responsibility.’ Assess this claim. (20 marks) AO2