Determinism and Freedom (U2)

Question 1

What is the responsibility of human freedom?

Answer 1

It gives us the capacity to turn away from God/ourselves/others (sin)
- Freedom invokes the core of human existence

Question 2

Some philosopher’s view on human freedom?

Answer 2

Freedom isn’t real, no objective evidence, that it can be explained away with physiological/biological processes
- Everything has a physical cause

Question 3

What is naturalism and what does it say about human freedom?

Answer 3

Understands the material universe as an unifed system
- Everything is shaped by physical/biological/psychological/social/environmental processes, nothing external
- Denies ethics/morality, everything is natural physical processes with no control

Question 4

What is the Catechism’s teaching on freedom?

Answer 4

Humans are responsible for their acts as voluntary agents. And freedom attains perfection in its acts when directed towards God

Question 5

What is religious determinism? (predestination)

Answer 5

God’s knowledge/will predetermined the cause of the word and the actions of every person

Question 6

What is the Catholic teaching on predestination?

Answer 6

Human freedom and God’s providence don’t conflict. They have free will because of his providence
- Salvation is His to grant, but his love requires cooperation

Question 7

Providence definition?

Answer 7

God’s influence on events and actions

Question 8

What is the puritan tradition?

Answer 8

Believes that man can’t do anything to save themselves
- God loves some and rejects others, granting salvation to the elect (damns the rest)

Question 9

What is social determinism?

Answer 9

Actions are explained by the experiences because of others
- Ex. parents, culture, social background, psychological state
- Behaviour explained by social factors, not decisions

Question 10

Human freedom in practice?

Answer 10

• Exercising freedom results in a chain in the world because of your action
• Being free can still mean we’re incomplete (unrealized possibilities), possibilities make us free
• Freedom= power to act, action= realization of power
• Human action= heart of ethics

Question 11

Catholic tradition on freedom?

Answer 11

Free will is one of God’s greatest gifts to humanity, the core of our ethics
- *Called to make choices using conscience in accordance with our ethics/morality