...A crucial thought behind Van Inwagen’s Consequence Argument is that we lack the ability either to change the past or change the laws. If determinism is true, he argues, our present actions are a direct combination of the past and the laws. And on that basis, he concludes that if determinism is true then what we in fact do is all that we can do. David Lewis rejects this reasoning. He claims that while there is sense in which we cannot break the laws of nature, there is also a sense in which we can break the laws of nature. Moreover, he claims that once we appreciate this distinction, Van Inwagen’s argument for the incompatibility of freedom and determinism collapses. Who has the better of this dispute? Write a paper which answers that question. There are many possible strategies you might adopt...
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...understanding of God, generating a multitude of theological ramifications relating to righteous living, sin, salvation, etc. This paper will briefly examine the philosophy of determinism—the...
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...In a section of Ethics: Theory and Practice entitled “Biological and Genetic Determinism” Thiroux and Krasemann explain: “Biological determinism is best exemplified by Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, which he presented in his most famous work, The Origin of Species. Darwin (1809-1882) believed that various species in nature evolve at different stages in the history of the world and that only the fittest survive. For example, even though some prehistoric animals (I.e. dinosaurs) were extremely large and powerful, their brain capacity and mental ability were so limited that they did not survive, whereas smaller and more intelligent beings, such as human, did. Darwin suggested that this process of natural selection essentially has nothing to do with freedom. He believed that it is nature that governs, through its various processes, the makeup, strength, and survival potential of the various species, and that the species that emerge as dominant are determined by the stage along the evolutionary scale at which they appear”. In a paragraph following, both authors reckon: “A more modern and sophisticated version of this theory is concerned with genetic makeup, especially that of human beings. None of us has any say over the identity of our parents, from where we inherit our genes; and because our genes determine so much of our makeup—our sex, mental potential, and eye, hair, and skin color—how can we be said to be free in any real sense of the word?” (Thiroux et al. 93-94) ...
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...Free Will and Determinism- is it an Illusion? Determinism, libertarianism and compatibilism are three significantly different views on where unaccountability might stop and where free will and moral responsibility begin. Determinism is the strict opinion that every action and decision is the cause of an event, genetics or the environment prior to that action. Quite the opposite is libertarianism, which happens to be the genuine belief in free will as well as the denial of universal causation. Finally, deep self-compatibilism meshes both of these stand points together and introduces the idea that one’s action can be free if it stems purely out of personal, authentic desire. Since all three judgments have a backbone of convincing arguments, it is difficult to live by just one. Studying the Satyr’s justification, Hench’s ever-changing attitude toward his creation, and Michael Gorr’s point if view on the matter, one way of thinking may become more rational than the others. Silenus the Satyr is a strange creature, half man, half goat who was brought to life in a laboratory by a man named Hench. Near the end of this fiction, Silenus is sold to slavery in an environment lacking both booze and women after he acts on a desire to have sex with a woman without her consent. The Satyr repeatedly uses his hard determinist point of view to convince Hench that everything that happens has a reason, and if something is caused it cannot be free. Therefore, the Satyr has neither free will...
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...irrelevant to reality because there is a fated design for everyone. Libertarianists allege that humans make choices and guide themselves through a decision making process and are in absolute control of their futures. The thesis of determinism seems to contradict ordinary experiences, whereas the theory of libertarianism disregards event-causation. Philosopher Walter T. Stace proposed an alternative compatibilist philosophy. In order to recognize the ways in which Stace effectively amalgamates the two thesis' utilizing his compatibilist approach, an objective examination of the three ideas is compulsory. The following article will define the support and contradictions of hard determinism and libertarianism, as well as clarify the ways in which compatibilist is a practical alternative. Hard determinists believe that genetics determine personalities and actions only through the Newtonian laws of cause and effect. They affirm that freedom and free will are fiction and because of this humans have no moral responsibility for their actions. They insist that the sources of motivation behind their thoughts and actions are causualistic and predictable and that free will is an illusion triggered by convenience and ego. The past determines the future. Determinism is an idealistic one-dimensional view of reality because a deterministic reality is constrained by causality and distinct single outcomes. Libertarianists trust that free will does exist because to not possess it is illogical. Humans...
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...Jonathan Santos Professor Zalkaske PHIL 1301 28 October 2015 Freedom of the Will Humans are considered rational beings, but it has always been asked what can human beings do and to what extent do their abilities reach This question focuses on free will and determinism. An easy way to show free will and determinism is to think of paths that are forked and with each decision there are alternate routes you could have taken from the one you did and that with those alternate routes there are alternate futures. So for example you have a choice of going to the park or the mall by choosing the park your decision would put a fork in your road and the other choice the mall would be another fork in the road, but it would become an alternate future. Firstly,...
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...Free Will and Determinism One issue with human kind as a whole that has been continuing since the beginning of time is the question of free will. Do human beings really have free will, or is our destiny predetermined by fate? To fully take a side, one has to look at and understand both sides of the argument. Firstly there is the concept of Determinism, which is basically that all events are caused by prior events, and that given the causes of a human’s choices or actions, there is no way that that human could have acted otherwise. Obviously, this is incompatible with the concept of free will, because free will suggests that humans do have a choice. Although there are two different sides to the argument of free will, there is compatibilist and libertarianism free will. Compatibilist free will suggests that free will and determinism are compatible. That it is possible for a person to act freely if the action is not caused by an external factor but rather by an internal factor, caused by processes in the brain. Libertarian free will denies that determinism and compatibilism are true and that free will exists. Libertarians define an action as free if the person doing it could have done otherwise, or that is was possible to act differently. I believe that humans do have free will to the extent of their own power, making me a compatibilist. A person cannot stop a car accident from happening and making them late to work, but they can choose to turn around and take a different route...
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...Ted Honderich Determinism Vs Free Will Psychology 101-1322 Professor: James Pattison By: Belinda Bielicki July 2, 2011 Determinism versus Free Will: The most important and the oldest philosophical question is perhaps that of free will and determinism. Do people have free will, or are our actions pre-determined? Ted Honderich defined determinism as the philosophical idea that every event or state of affairs, including every human decision and action, is the inevitable and necessary consequence of antecedent states of affairs. "Nothing occurs at random, but everything for a reason and by necessity." Determinism is used by philosophers to account for some of the choices and actions that cause or create the effects of causal sequences; these sequences raise questions about the freedom of the choices and actions. Determinists believe our decisions are controlled by previous exposure to differing situations and environments and that each and every one of our actions is caused by a specific prior action or cause. (a occurs because of b, b occurs because of c..etc) In the belief of a determinist, man is no exception to this rule and therefore we are not "free" due to our actions being a result of a previous cause. If we are to dispute that this in fact is true, than we as human beings cannot be held responsible for our actions, as we have no control over them, they are automatic. However this is not the case, when a human commits an act, they are held responsible for...
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...Argument and logic Free will versus determinism is the excerpt I chose for this argument and logic assignment .Free will and determinism have opposite meanings so the belief of free will and also atoms doing what they do being predetermined cannot be true .unless the given circumstance makes it true .Let me explain free will is defined as the power given to human beings to make their own choices that is unconstrained by external circumstances or by fate or divine will .Determinism is defined as that every event or act and decision is an inescapable consequence of antecedents that are independent of free will .Which states that humans do not have free will to chose. This is not caused because anything or anybody is trying to control humans it just is. This belief is true in religion and cause and effect .Many religious people believe that the existence of god supports determinism .Because that god is all knowing and all powerful so there is nothing that god does not know or that he does not already know .If people had free will there would be things that people would do that god does not already know about and that would limit god being all powerful .The other argument about determinism is cause and effect this argument says the same thing would always occur due to the event .Let’s say you throw a rubber ball on the ground it would hit the ground and bounce back up .Throwing the ball against the floor was the cause and the effect was the ball bouncing .Based on this everything...
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...The idea of Determinism is explored by many philosophers in the construction of arguments against free-will, morality, and liberty. Determinism is a philosophy that claims that all things are causally related to each other and there is a necessity behind every event that occurs and while Determinism as a term wasn’t coined as a term until the 19th century, David Hume explored these major concepts in his Enquiry, delving into the roots of humanity and questioning the truth of human freedom.1 In particular his exploration into human understanding leads him to conclude that there is no effect without a cause and liberty when opposed to necessity cannot universally exist.2 Hume’s discovery, the Causal Maxim, and is generally accepted among philosophers, though it is not enough in and of itself to prove that he fits the mold of a determinist. However, by delving further into his various arguments, I will prove that Hume’s philosophy, mainly the denial of induction and support of causation, follows the discreet specifications of Determinism. Essential to the understanding of Hume’s philosophy is his idea of the universal necessity of connection between cause and effect, though he aptly admits that this connection is unobservable and denies that humans can ever have a true understanding of cause and effect.3 To explain such a broad claim Hume addresses a situation in which causality could prove troublesome by illustrating that God, through an immense causality chain, could be the...
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...Avery Suazo Free Will VS. Determinism Though it can be loosely traced back to modern arguments, which mainly revolve around religion, free will versus determinism has been a staple of debate for over a millennia. The side of free will argues that there is nothing inhibiting us, as humans, from making the choices we choose to make. I think that determinism, the other side of the argument, is incredibly vague and ambiguous; while free will is much more viable in every way. First, I will articulate the definitions and intricacies of both ideas; then, I will elaborate as to why free will is the winning choice in this debate; and finally, I will conclude with my final thoughts. Let’s start off with free will. The theory states that it is the ability to choose without constraint from any outside source of interference (e.g. social pressures, religion, law). By this theory, one can assume that any action is done by the will of the individual, which in turn proves that every action done has a sole agent responsible for said action. For example: Tommy goes to the store, he buys bananas. His mom calls and asks him to pick up some juice while he’s there. Note that Tommy may be naturally inclined to fulfill his mom’s request, but in no way is he out of control what choice he makes. Notice: inclined. He would likely choose to buy the juice as well as his bananas, because he is a good son and doesn’t mind spending the money for juice. He could also completely ignore what his mom says...
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...Free Will vs. Determinism ` One of the most reoccurring theoretical arguments of philosophy is the problem of free will and determinism. Walter Stace describes the famous debate between free will and determinism as one that does not have a simple solution because each side has substantial evidence that supports its ideas and beliefs. Although, Walter provides information on both approaches to free will, he was known to defend a view on the issue of free will and determinism called compatibilism. Compatibilism allows us to have a significant idea of what free will is as well as acknowledge that we do not decide to make spontaneous decisions but rather our choices are an outcome of previous causes. Basically, Stace claims that our natural choices are made at our own liberty and that we are in control of the most abrupt periods of a long causal chain. The concept of free will, well matched with determinism is crucial if we are to comprehend how anyone can be morally responsible for his or her actions. Stace's argument is mainly focused on the basic nature of morality and its significance to the problem of free will. Walter Stace claimed it is almost certain that if there is no free will there can be no morality. If morality is perceived to be of a fabricated nature, the question of what is primarily accurate and incorrect can now be challenged, as generally everything has already been predetermined. He then disputes that philosophers who oppose the reality of free will only...
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...What is Free will? Free will is whether we as a human can mange to make our own decisions without being controlled, or if we are controlled and the decisions that happen are meant to happen. Is it our fate? Or is it possible that everyone makes their own future and pays for their own consequences? Whether it be Rene Descartes beliefs or John Locke ideas of the meaning of free will. These are many philosophers that have gone into detail describing free will and determinism but it is varied due to the fact we all think differently. Free will is described as the human will be regarded as free from restraints, compulsions, freedom of decision or choice. The dictionary describes determinism as the doctrine that everything is entirely determined...
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...Free will Chapter 6 is about Free will and determinism. Nagel explains Free will is making your own choice and/or choosing something because you wanted to. He expresses it as an opportunity for you to choose either “A or B”. When you pick the preferred one, you could have chosen the other if you wanted to, but your Free will choose the one you wanted. He then explains that you may have Free will, but in reality it was already determined. Which is called determinism. Determinism is when the action or choice you have made was determined by certain circumstances, saying that whatever your actions led to was inevitable doing to your upbringing or just who you are as person. He even compares that the decisions we make are as responsible as a dog or cat. Free will to me is doing what you please knowing the consequences of your action. Everyone demonstrates free will differently do to boundaries we have set upon ourselves. Everyday when I wake up, I have the free will to choose what I...
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...Environmental Determinism – A Concept Note Environmental determinism was described by Semple (1911, p.620) as ‘the influence of climate upon race temperament’. It formed a notion that sparked debate in the 19th and 20th century, as to whether human society and activities are controlled by the physical environment in which they take place (Goodwin et al 2005). Scientific thinkers of the 19th century, Larmarck and Darwin looked at the environmental impacts on organisms’ biology and their subsequent behavior. In Lamarck's (1914 ed.) theory, he outlines how an organisms’ shape and organisation is caused by environmentally induced habits – ‘the giraffe actively stretched its neck reaching for the upper leaves of trees in semiarid regions’ (Peet, 1985, p.312). Fredrich Ratzel, although still “convinced of the importance of the idea of evolution” (Wanklyn, 1961, p.19), saw development of societies as dependent on what the land provides. To some extent there are modern day examples of where this is true, the UAE is a country located on land containing vast amounts of valuable oil, in 2009 it exported 2.395 million bbl/day (CIA World Factbook, 2012) – one the highest amounts of any country. Subsequently its GNP per capita in 2009 hit $48,900 (CIA World Factbook, 2012). It could be argued therefore, a society’s development is determined by the quality of the land that it resides on. Debatably there is more to environmental determinism then this. Ellen Semple (1911) looked...
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