Podcast
Questions and Answers
Why might renouncing freedom lead to renouncing morality?
Why might renouncing freedom lead to renouncing morality?
- Without freedom, societal structures would collapse, leading to moral chaos.
- Renouncing freedom allows individuals to blame external factors for their actions, diminishing personal responsibility.
- Without freedom, individuals cannot be held accountable for their actions, undermining the basis for blame or punishment. (correct)
- Renouncing freedom leads to a rejection of societal norms and values, causing moral decay.
What is the central claim of determinism?
What is the central claim of determinism?
- Every event has a cause. (correct)
- Every event is random and unpredictable.
- Every event is influenced by a multitude of factors, making it impossible to trace its exact cause.
- Every event is predetermined by a divine being.
Why does the belief in determinism pose a challenge to the concept of free will?
Why does the belief in determinism pose a challenge to the concept of free will?
- Determinism promotes the idea that humans are separate from the natural world, creating a conflict with scientific understanding.
- Determinism implies that our choices are predetermined by a divine being, contradicting the notion of self-determination.
- Determinism argues that human behavior is inherently unpredictable, challenging the notion of moral responsibility.
- Determinism suggests that our choices are part of a causal chain, potentially undermining the sense of autonomy. (correct)
In the context of the chapter, what is the primary concern with the idea that science will eventually discover the causes of everything?
In the context of the chapter, what is the primary concern with the idea that science will eventually discover the causes of everything?
If a person resists the urge to put down a book despite feeling sleepy, how would a determinist explain this?
If a person resists the urge to put down a book despite feeling sleepy, how would a determinist explain this?
Why might it be difficult to detect the causes of our decisions simply through introspection?
Why might it be difficult to detect the causes of our decisions simply through introspection?
What does determinism suggest about Hitler's decision to invade Poland?
What does determinism suggest about Hitler's decision to invade Poland?
What is the challenge posed by determinism to the notion of moral responsibility, as illustrated by the example of Hitler's invasion of Poland?
What is the challenge posed by determinism to the notion of moral responsibility, as illustrated by the example of Hitler's invasion of Poland?
How does the chapter illustrate the challenge to freedom using physics and the motion of sub-atomic particles?
How does the chapter illustrate the challenge to freedom using physics and the motion of sub-atomic particles?
What is the core idea of hard determinism?
What is the core idea of hard determinism?
According to a hard determinist, why might society still punish criminals, even if they don't deserve it?
According to a hard determinist, why might society still punish criminals, even if they don't deserve it?
What is the defining characteristic of libertarianism in the context of the free will debate?
What is the defining characteristic of libertarianism in the context of the free will debate?
Why do libertarians struggle with the idea of uncaused actions?
Why do libertarians struggle with the idea of uncaused actions?
What does the example of Mother Teresa and the hand grenade illustrate about the libertarian view of free will?
What does the example of Mother Teresa and the hand grenade illustrate about the libertarian view of free will?
How do some libertarians attempt to reconcile free will with the apparent randomness of uncaused actions?
How do some libertarians attempt to reconcile free will with the apparent randomness of uncaused actions?
According to the chapter, what is a major issue with agent causation?
According to the chapter, what is a major issue with agent causation?
How does the chapter characterize quantum mechanics in relation to the free will debate?
How does the chapter characterize quantum mechanics in relation to the free will debate?
Why is quantum randomness not considered sufficient for freedom?
Why is quantum randomness not considered sufficient for freedom?
What is the key premise of soft determinism?
What is the key premise of soft determinism?
According to soft determinism, what distinguishes a free action from an unfree action?
According to soft determinism, what distinguishes a free action from an unfree action?
What is the initial definition that a soft determinist might propose for a free action?
What is the initial definition that a soft determinist might propose for a free action?
What is a problem with defining a 'free action' as one "caused by the person's beliefs and desires, provided that the person has freely chosen those beliefs and desires"?
What is a problem with defining a 'free action' as one "caused by the person's beliefs and desires, provided that the person has freely chosen those beliefs and desires"?
What is the problem with defining a free action as one caused by the person's beliefs and desires, provided that the person was not compelled by another person to have those beliefs and desires?
What is the problem with defining a free action as one caused by the person's beliefs and desires, provided that the person was not compelled by another person to have those beliefs and desires?
In the context of the chapter, what are first-order and second-order desires, and how do they relate to the concept of free will?
In the context of the chapter, what are first-order and second-order desires, and how do they relate to the concept of free will?
According to the chapter, what is one of the core challenges with any soft determinist definition of freedom?
According to the chapter, what is one of the core challenges with any soft determinist definition of freedom?
Flashcards
Free Will vs Determinism
Free Will vs Determinism
The philosophical question of whether our choices are genuinely free or predetermined by prior events.
Determinism
Determinism
The principle that every event has a cause.
Free Will & Moral Responsibility
Free Will & Moral Responsibility
The idea that if we lack free will, we cannot be morally responsible for our actions.
Hard Determinism
Hard Determinism
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Hard Determinist
Hard Determinist
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Libertarianism (Free Will)
Libertarianism (Free Will)
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Agent Causation
Agent Causation
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Quantum Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics
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Soft Determinism
Soft Determinism
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Free Actions (Soft Determinism)
Free Actions (Soft Determinism)
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Second-Order Desires
Second-Order Desires
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First-Order Desires
First-Order Desires
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Study Notes
Free Will and Determinism
- Morality necessitates free will because only those who act freely deserve blame or punishment.
- The problem of free will stems from the incompatibility of freedom with the idea that every event has a cause, known as determinism.
- Determinism suggests that all events are causally predetermined, seemingly negating free will.
Hard Determinism
- Hard determinism resolves the conflict by rejecting free will, aligning with the scientific view that everything is determined.
- Hard determinists argue that no one is truly responsible for their actions.
- Society may still punish criminals, not as deserved retribution, but to protect society and deter future crimes.
Libertarianism
- Libertarianism resolves the conflict by rejecting determinism, emphasizing human freedom and the limitations of science in predicting human behavior.
- Some libertarians believe humans possess nonphysical souls that are not subject to the laws of nature.
- Agent causation states humans possess a unique ability to cause actions that are not determined by prior events or desires.
- Libertarianism faces challenges as it clashes with science, particularly psychology and physics, which seek to explain and predict human behavior.
Interlude: Quantum Mechanics
- Quantum mechanics introduces randomness at the particle level, it does not provide a basis for free will.
- Quantum mechanics assigns probabilities to different outcomes.
- Agent causation could coexist with quantum mechanics if people ultimately decide what occurs, after quantum mechanics sets the probabilities.
Soft Determinism
- Soft determinism argues that freedom and determinism can coexist, positing that the conflict arises from a misunderstanding of freedom.
- A free action is caused in the right way.
- Actions are not free when are forced to commit acts, such as coerced murders.
- Identifying the "right way" for determining the cause of free actions is difficult.
- An action is free if it is caused by a person's beliefs and desires.
- The first stab fails when a person is hypnotized and the definition says they are free, but in reality they are not.
- A free action is one that is caused by the person’s beliefs and desires, provided that the person has freely chosen those beliefs and desires.
- Circular definitions does not work because then a free action is one that is free
- A free action is one that is caused by the person’s beliefs and desires, provided that the person was not compelled by another person to have those beliefs and desires.
- This is circular to define 'free' in terms of 'compelled', for 'compelled' is itself defined in terms of 'free'.
- A free action is one that is caused by the person’s beliefs and desires, provided that those beliefs and desires flow from ‘who the person is’.
- What makes a person who they are is the combination of first-order desires (desires to do things) in accordance with second-order desires (desires to have certain first-order desires)
- Brainwashing eliminates free will
- Moral transformation does not eliminate free will
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