WOLF MY DEEP SELF MADE ME DO IT

SUSAN WOLF (born 1952) Student of Tom Nagel Rebuts Nagel’s views

[Background 1] For centuries philosophers studied the FREE-WILL PROBLEM But this problem seems to be insoluble: If determinism is true, then only one course of events is possible. If indeterminism is true, then our actions are not caused, hence not caused by us. Either way: there is no free will.

[Background 2] So the Free-Will Problem has been largely replaced by the Moral Responsibility Problem: Under what conditions can someone be justifiably held morally responsible for their actions? Wolf: Moral Responsibility Problem.

Deep Self View – Origins (502-3) From Frankfurt, Watson, & Taylor Agent is Responsible for Action  1) Action is under control of will. 2) Will is under control of Deep Self. Kleptomaniacs, the brainwashed, etc., Deep Self does not control will, so do not satisfy 2. Animals, infants, machines do not have deep self, so do not satisfy 2.

OBJECTION 1 (504L) “Who, or what, is responsible for this deeper self?” [Assumption: if we are not responsible for deep self, we are not responsible at all.] REPLY: 1)This objection implies self-creation needed for responsibility, which is logically impossible. (505L-506R) 2) As long as we can “revise ourselves,” that is enough.

OBJECTION 2 JoJo (who has been raised to be immoral) meets conditions 1 & 2, but still is not responsible. (505-7) REPLY: Add another condition 3) Deep Self is sane – its values are not “seriously mistaken, misguided, or bad.” (508L)

OBJECTION 3 There is no justification for values in definition of sanity. [Sanity is a matter of fact, not a matter of value.] REPLY: justification is 1) “intersubjective agreement” 2) “success in getting around in the world and satisfying our needs.” (509)

OBJECTION 4 Since concept of sanity is explicitly normative, then any wrong action will count as evidence of insanity [removing responsibility]. (510) REPLY: 1) Possible that deep self is sane but does not use this ability. [i.e., wrong action results from willful inattention] 2) Sane Deep Self view does not solve all the problems of responsibility.