OBJECTIONS Hard Determinism

Determinism The Universality of Causation: Everything that happens has a cause (which precedes it in time). The Sufficiency of Causation: A cause is sufficient for its effect. Determinism: Everything that happens is causally determined by the past, together with the laws of nature.  A complete description of the world at one time, together with a complete description of the laws of nature, entails a complete description of the world at any later time.

Determinism

With earth’s first clay they did the last man knead, And there of the last harvest sowed the seed. And the first morning of creation wrote What the last dawn of reckoning shall read. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Determinism If Determinism is true, then our acts are the consequences of the laws of nature and events in the remote past. But it is not up to us what went on before we were born, and neither is it up to us what the laws of nature are. Therefore, the consequence of these things (including our present acts) are not up to us. Peter van Inwagen

The Consequence Argument 1. If Determinism is true, then all of our actions are a consequence of the state of the world 1 million years ago and the laws of nature. 2. The state of the world 1 million years ago isn’t up to us. 3. The laws of nature aren’t up to us. 4. If all of our actions are a consequence of the state of the world 1 million years ago and the laws of nature and (2) and (3), then none of our actions are up to us. 5. [So] If determinism is true, none of our actions are up to us. 6. If none of our actions are up to us, none of our actions are free. 7. [So] If determinism is true, none of our actions are free.

The Incompatibility Argument 1)Determinism is true. 2)If (1), then the Freedom Principle is false. 3)[So] The Freedom Principle is false.

Hard Determinism

The Will… is necessarily determined by the qualities, good or bad, agreeable or painful, of the object or the motive that acts upon his senses, or of which the idea remains with, and is resuscitated by his memory. In consequence, he acts necessarily, … he never acts as a free agent. Baron D’Holbach

Hard Determinism Choice by no means proves the free agency of man: he only deliberates when he does not yet know which to choose of the many objects that move him… until his will is decided by the greater advantage he believes he shall find in the object he chooses, or the action he undertakes. From whence it may be seen, that choice is necessary…. Baron D’Holbach

Hard Determinism The opposers of necessity say: that if all the actions of man are necessary, no right whatever exists to punish bad ones, or even to be angry with those who commit them… [But] Laws are made with a view to maintain society, and to prevent man associated from injuring his neighbor; they are therefore competent to punish those who disturb its harmony. Baron D’Holbach