Freedom and Determinism
The Problem of Free Will
- Free Will: The ability to make choices that are not determined by prior causes.
- Determinism: The belief that every event, including human actions, is determined by preceding events and natural laws.
Determinism challenges the idea of free will by suggesting that our choices are merely the result of prior causes.
Compatibilism: Reconciling Freedom and Determinism
Definition
Compatibilism
Compatibilism is the view that free will and determinism can coexist.
Key Features:
- Redefining Free Will: Compatibilists argue that free will is the ability to act according to one's desires and intentions, even if those desires are determined.
- Moral Responsibility: They maintain that individuals can be held morally responsible for their actions if they act voluntarily, without external coercion.
Daniel Dennett, a prominent compatibilist, argues that free will is about being able to act in accordance with one's reasons and motivations, not about being free from causation.
Dennett's Compatibilism
- Evolutionary Perspective: Dennett suggests that free will evolved as a complex ability to respond to environmental challenges.
- Degrees of Freedom: He emphasizes that free will is not an all-or-nothing concept but exists in degrees, depending on the complexity of decision-making processes.
When analyzing compatibilism, focus on how it redefines free will to align with deterministic principles, rather than rejecting determinism outright.
Incompatibilism: The Conflict Between Freedom and Determinism
Definition
Incompatibilism
Incompatibilism holds that free will and determinism are fundamentally incompatible.
Key Features:
- Libertarianism:
