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Free Will or Determination

In: Social Issues

Submitted By ashleymg1
Words 1003
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FREE WILL OR DETERMINISM 1

Free Will or Determinism
Ashley Magee
American InterContinental University

FREE WILL OR DETERMINISM 2
Abstract
This essay will discuss free will versus determinism. This will be a dialogue between an imaginary Socrates and me. A series of questions will be discussed to describe determinism and free will.

FREE WILL OR DETERMINISM 3
Socrates: What is your definition of determinism?
Ashley: Determinism is the thought that each event is caused by something. Since human actions could be looked at as an event then each choice is because of a cause.
Socrates: So, if every event is based on a cause then we do not have free will.
Ashley: I don’t believe human action is an event, I feel like we all make our own decisions and our fate is determined by our decisions.
Socrates: What is your definition of free will?
Ashley: Free will is to act without the confinement of fate. This is acting at one’s own concern.
Socrates: Is it not true that we all have our own fate?
Ashley: I believe that our fate lies in our own hands. It is up to us to decide how we live our lives.
Socrates: Do you feel that every event has an explanatory cause?
Ashley: I do not feel that way. Some things just can’t be explained and we will never know why some things happen.
Socrates: Is it not true that everything happens for a reason?
Ashley: I think that everything happens because of the decision that we made. Whether good or bad things happen we made the decision to do it.

FREE WILL OR DETERMINISM 4
Socrates: How would you define event?
Ashley: I feel that an event is something that is planned. Events are usually something that is done for a social occasion.
Socrates: Has there ever been something in your life that was not planned and could be considered an event?
Ashley: There have been many things in my life that

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