Free will versus determinism

From A+ Club Lesson Planner & Study Guide

Reason versus will[edit | edit source]

  • reason = rational thought
    • we can reason from a given set of information
  • will = choice
    • we choose based upon our reason
    • but also upon our desires

necessity and constraint[edit | edit source]

  • can only be exercised given
    • absence of necessity
      • necessity = a requirement for something to happen
    • absence of constraint
    • ex. For me to be a bachelor,
      • I cannot also be married < absence of necessity
      • I cannot be forced to be unmarried < absence of constraint

Determinism[edit | edit source]

  • = absence of free will
  • = absence of choice and thus responsibility for one's actions
  • under determinism, we cannot be held responsible for our actions (no moral choice)

deterministic elements[edit | edit source]

  • laws of nature
  • biology
  • external situations or causes

moral responsibility[edit | edit source]

  • if all actions are caused by an outside force, then there is no choice
  • if there is no choice, then there is no moral responsibility for one's actions
    • consequently there is no such thing as desire, pride, accomplishment, failure, etc.
  • problem
    • = what is the extent of responsibility in any given situation or outcome?
      • there are layers of responsibility in outcomes
        • some actions are caused by outside forces
        • some actions are result of choice

Indeterminism[edit | edit source]

  • the idea that events and choices are not determined by outside forces

necessary but insufficiency[edit | edit source]

  • necessary cause = a condition that is "necessary" or required to exist for an outcome to ocurr
    • but, that cause does not unto itself yield the outcome
  • sufficient cause = a condition without with the outcome would not have happened

Reconciling free will with determinism[edit | edit source]

contingency

  • = conditions + choices
  • we cannot determine or choose our conditions
  • we can, however, make choices given conditions we do not control or choose