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Free Will

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Submitted By brett454
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Brett Whiting
Professor Bethem
PHL_160_05
25 March 2013 Free Will
Stance: I believe in the idea of Free Will.
Reason: The reason I believe in Free Will is because I believe that everyone has the choice in which decisions they make in life. You should believe in free will because it is what gives you the ability to make your own decisions, gives you control of your life, and gives you a sense of freedom of speech.
Thesis: Free will is the idea that everyone has the choice to make their own decisions; some of the theories free will our shown through Harry Frankfurt’s organization theory, Fischer’s factors of control and Hume’s study on desires. 1. Free will based on organization A. Frankfurt on first desires B. Frankfurt says in first desires when he is undergoing a first desire that he has the ability to either eat the candy bar or refrain from eating this. This shows free will because he has the choice to refrain or go along with his desires. C. I agree with Frankfurt’s ideas and beliefs because if we desire to do or eat something then we have the choice in which we can restrain ourselves from doing it due to negative outcomes or you can accept the desire and go forward with the decision. 2. Free will based on Control A. John Martin Fischer free will through guidance and regulative control. B. Guidance Control, people show guidance control by looking over their actions and coming up with the most appropriate outcome. I feel as if people have the choice in which actions they look over. 1. Regulative Control, this is putting your decision making into play and also looking at all the alternatives of that decision. When you are looking at the alternatives and weighing the oppurtunities this gives you a sense of control and choice over your decisions. C. I agree with Fischer’s idea because between Guidance and Regulative control because when I make decisions and weigh out the positive and negative of choices it gives you a idea of control over your choices and decisions.
3. Free will based in desire A. David Hume says that free will is based on desires 1. Hume says free actions are caused by an agent’s willings and desires. B. Hume in other words says that every actions we do is based off of our choice to make that decision and that, that decision is based off of some sort of desire we have. I don’t think our desires our determined because throughout life I have desired different things at different points in my life which makes my desires not set. When you change desires this suggest free will because you are choosing to change your desires then that suggests you have free will. C. I agree with Hume’s study because when we chose our desires and chose in how we will react to them then we are practicing then we are practicing free will. Objection: Free will is determinism.
1. Determinism is not like free will because free will suggests that you have the ability to make your own decisions based on your actions. Determinism on the other hand says there are circumstances where you can’t change the outcome of a given event. Free will is based on desires when determinism is a more non- controlling type of will. Determinism goes against free will by saying we can’t have free will because all decisions are pre determined. I counter act this because our decisions can’t be pre determined because we have the free choice to pick to refrain or to go on the decisions or desires.
Conclusion: In conclusion I believe that free will is different from determinism and free will is based on spontaneous acts, control and desire, and that every decision we make can change the outcome of our lives forever.

Bibliography

"Free Will." (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.
"Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Free Will. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2013.
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