The Problem of Free Will

The Problem of Free Will First, you tell me: What is the problem (roughly)?

A computer can only do what it’s been programmed to do. The Computer Analogy: A computer can only do what it’s been programmed to do. Its activities are completely caused by its programming. A person can only do what her beliefs and desires cause her to do. Her actions are completely caused by her beliefs and desires.

Environment Beliefs + Desires Actions Genes

Programmers Program Beliefs + Desires Actions Environment Genes The

Two different problems The Programmers The Program Environment Beliefs + Desires Actions Genes

Two different problems The Programmers The Program Creates the problem just mentioned: computers aren’t free to do anything other than what’s specified in their programming.

Two different problems The Programmers The Program A different problem: The causes of the computer’s actions lie outside the computer itself, so it has no control over its actions. The computer isn’t the source of its own actions. (The programmers are.)

Two Different Problems for Freedom: The Problem of Sourcehood (Sober: “Distant Causation Argument”) The Problem of the Ability To Do Otherwise (Sober: “Could-Not-Have-Done-Otherwise Argument”)

The Sourcehood Problem Programmers Beliefs + Desires Actions Agent (Distant Causation) The Programmers Environment Beliefs + Desires Actions The Agent Genes

The Sourcehood Problem (Distant Causation) The programmers completely cause the program, which completely causes the action. Genes and environment completely cause beliefs and desires, which completely cause actions.

The Sourcehood Problem The agent doesn’t control her own actions. (Distant Causation) The agent doesn’t control her own actions. The real causes of action are in the distant past, and this puts them outside the agent’s control.

The real causes of action lie outside the agent. Environment Beliefs + Desires Actions The Agent Genes

Sourcehood The Problem of You don’t act freely. P1) Your genes and environment determine what your actions are. P2) Your genes and environment are causes outside your control. P3) If your actions are determined by causes outside your control, then you don’t act freely. You don’t act freely.

Imagine looking at a menu and trying to decide between two dishes you really want to order. Now, consider each of these premises in light of that situation. P1) Your genes and environment determine what your actions are. P2) Your genes and environment are causes outside your control. P3) If your actions are determined by causes outside your control, then you don’t act freely. You don’t act freely.

Two Different Problems for Freedom: The Problem of Sourcehood (Sober: “Distant Causation Argument”) The Problem of the Ability To Do Otherwise (Sober: “Could-Not-Have-Done-Otherwise Argument”)

Ability to Do Otherwise The Problem of the Ability to Do Otherwise The programmers completely cause the program, which completely causes the action. Genes and environment completely cause beliefs and desires, which completely cause actions.

Programmers Program Beliefs + Desires Actions Agent Environment Genes The Programmers The Program Environment Beliefs + Desires Actions The Agent Genes

Ability to Do Otherwise The Problem of the Ability to Do Otherwise For a choice to be free, it must at least be possible to choose more than one thing. If there’s only one thing you can possibly do, then you don’t have freedom to choose.

Ability to Do Otherwise The Problem of the Ability to Do Otherwise Given the input ‘5 + 7’, a computer must output ‘12’. It has no ability to do otherwise. Given her beliefs and desires, a person must do what they specify. Once your beliefs and desires are fixed, you have no ability to do otherwise.

Ability to Do Otherwise The Problem of the Ability to Do Otherwise Another way to look at it: If you had done otherwise, it wouldn’t show that you were able do things that aren’t specified by your beliefs and desires. It would just show that you had different beliefs and desires.

Ability to Do Otherwise The Problem of the Ability to Do Otherwise P1) Your beliefs and desires determine what your actions are. P2) If your beliefs and desires determine what your actions are, then you have no ability to do otherwise. P3) If you have no ability to do otherwise, then you don’t act freely. You don’t act freely.

Does the man choose freely? The Puzzle of Locke’s Locked Room A man chooses to stay in a room, talking with a friend. Before he makes this choice, but while he’s still in the room, someone locks the door from the outside without his knowing it. So the man makes a choice, but at the time of the choice he isn’t able to do otherwise. Does the man choose freely?

Two Different Problems for Freedom: The Problem of Sourcehood (Sober: “Distant Causation Argument”) The Problem of the Ability To Do Otherwise (Sober: “Could-Not-Have-Done-Otherwise Argument”)

These two arguments both say that determinism and freedom are incompatible...

You don’t act freely. You don’t act freely. P1) Your beliefs and desires determine what your actions are. P2) If your beliefs and desires determine what your actions are, then you have no ability to do otherwise. P3) If you have no ability to do otherwise, then you don’t act freely. P1) Your genes and environment determine what your actions are. P2) Your genes and environment are causes outside your control. P3) If your actions are determined by causes outside your control, then you don’t act freely. You don’t act freely. You don’t act freely.

different reasons for incompatibilism The difference between them: different reasons for incompatibilism

You don’t act freely. You don’t act freely. P1) Your beliefs and desires determine what your actions are. P2) If your beliefs and desires determine what your actions are, then you have no ability to do otherwise. P3) If you have no ability to do otherwise, then you don’t act freely. P1) Your genes and environment determine what your actions are. P2) Your genes and environment are causes outside your control. P3) If your actions are determined by causes outside your control, then you don’t act freely. You don’t act freely. You don’t act freely.

Determinism (of actions) is incompatible with free will. Incompatibilism: Determinism (of actions) is incompatible with free will.

Note the difference: Actions are determined. Determinism: Actions are determined. Incompatibilism: Determinism and freedom are incompatible.

Note the difference: Actions are determined. Determinism: Actions are determined. Determinism is true. Incompatibilism: Determinism and freedom are incompatible. If determinism is true, we don’t have free will.

Note the difference: Actions are determined. Philosophers haven’t paid much attention to this question. Traditionally, determinism seemed more likely, so the classic debate focuses on incompatibilism. Determinism: Actions are determined. Determinism is true. Incompatibilism: Determinism and freedom are incompatible. If determinism is true, we don’t have free will.

Note the difference: Actions are determined. Determinism: Actions are determined. Determinism is true. Note: you can be an incompatiblist whether you believe in determinism or not. Incompatibilism: Determinism and freedom are incompatible. If determinism is true, we don’t have free will.

It doesn’t say which one to keep. Incompatibilism says you can’t have both determinism and freedom. It doesn’t say which one to keep.

It doesn’t say which one to keep. Incompatibilism says you can’t have both determinism and freedom. It doesn’t say which one to keep. Determinism Free Will Determinism Free Will

It doesn’t say which one to keep. Incompatibilism says you can’t have both determinism and freedom. It doesn’t say which one to keep. Determinism Free Will Libertarianism Hard Determinism Determinism Free Will

Compatibilism Incompatibilism Soft Determinism Libertarianism Free Will Determinism Free Will Hard Determinism Determinism Free Will

Compatibilism Incompatibilism Soft Determinism Libertarianism Free Will Determinism Free Will Hard Determinism Take a minute to consider these three options. Which box would you place yourself in? Determinism Free Will

What is determinism? The events of the past, along with the laws of nature, completely “fix” the course of the future. Given the past and the laws of nature, there is only one way the future can possibly unfold.

Exactly one state of the universe at a later time What is determinism? Exactly one state of the universe at a later time The state of the universe at one time + The laws of nature = Given past events and the laws of nature, everything that does happen must happen. No alternative futures are possible.

What is determinism? Notice that this is a possibility claim. Given past events and the laws of nature, everything that does happen must happen. No alternative futures are possible.

What is determinism? Notice that this is a possibility claim. This makes it something more than just a causal claim. Compare: A caused B A caused B, and made B necessary. Given past events and the laws of nature, everything that does happen must happen. No alternative futures are possible.

What is determinism? Notice that this is a possibility claim. This makes it something more than just a causal claim. Compare: A caused B A caused B, and made B necessary. Sometimes causes are just contributing factors—they don’t necessitate what they cause.

What is determinism? There are two contributing factors: In a book I’m reading, a boat sinks and an important character drowns. There are two contributing factors: A submarine torpedoes the boat A storm prevents the rescue operation The torpedoes cause the drowning, but they don’t make it necessary. Without the storm, rescue was still possible.

What is determinism? Compare: A caused B A caused B, and made B necessary. The torpedoes cause the drowning, but they don’t make it necessary. Without the storm, rescue was still possible.

What is determinism? Not fatalism. What’s the difference?

What is determinism? Not fatalism. What’s the difference? If an event is fated, it will happen no matter what—regardless of the events that lead up to it (or the laws of nature). Determinism says that events depend on the events that lead up to them (and the laws of nature) .

What is determinism? With regard to free will, what’s important is determinism about actions, in particular. Genes and environment necessitate actions. or Beliefs and desires necessitate actions.

Would indeterminism be better? Suppose determinism is false. Actions are not necessitated by prior causes. Discuss in groups. Consider both problems: Sourcehood Ability To Do Otherwise

Would indeterminism be better? Suppose determinism is false. Actions are not necessitated by prior causes. This helps with the ability to do otherwise... It’s clearly possible for the agent to do more than one thing.

Would indeterminism be better? Suppose determinism is false. Actions are not necessitated by prior causes. But it doesn’t help with sourcehood. If the agent’s beliefs & desires don’t determine what’s going to happen, then the agent doesn’t have control of what’s going to happen. The agent can’t control her own actions.

Hume’s Compatibilism: (Soft Determinism) Even if your beliefs and desires do determine your actions, you can still act freely.

Hume’s Compatibilism: (Soft Determinism) Even if your beliefs and desires do determine your actions, you can still act freely. Freedom: ability to do otherwise if you desire. In order to do otherwise, your beliefs and desires would have be otherwise. Still, they’re your beliefs and desires.

Hume’s Compatibilism: (Soft Determinism) Your actions are determined by your beliefs and desires, but you still get to do what you want, so you still have free will. Freedom: ability to do otherwise if you desire. In order to do otherwise, your beliefs and desires would have be otherwise. Still, they’re your beliefs and desires.

Hume’s Compatibilism: (Soft Determinism) Should we accept Hume’s redefinition of the word “free”? How does this new definition affect the two problems we’ve identified for free will? -The Sourcehood Problem -The Problem of the Ability To Do Otherwise