Determinism/ libertarianism and conscience Flashcards
Basics: hard determinism
no freedom since all our actions are detrained by prior events; therefore no moral responsibility- no blame or praise can be put on our actions- freedom is an illusion
Basics: soft determinism
compatible with freedom and responsibility- self determined therefore we are the causes of our actions.
Some actions are caused and others are freely chosen. In this way we should tai moral responsibility, however be understanding that not all our choses are free- certain factors influence free will (upbringing)
Basics : libertarianism
Opposite to hard determinism; we have complete moral responsibility. We are completely free and influenced by nothing and no-one.
Causal factors are not a good enough argument
guilt and libertarianism
if we feel guilt then we must be free to choose
Basics: predestination
God has chosen the elect and reprobates and ones destination is predetermined by God and cannot be changed.
God has already decided our fate e.g. if we are sinful, if we will be forgiven and given place in heaven. Nothing we do can change our future since it has already been decided
St Augustine
354
we have free will- however ones life is predetermined by religious determinism. He found it difficult to deny that an has free will and also to deny that God has foreknowledge of the future. However decided that although God knows what our actions will be, he cannot control them. In this way he knows the decision we will make; but does not influence that decision
problem with not having free will
the basis for forgiveness and reconciliation is undermined
How can evil exist- Augustine
‘evil exists because we have free will’- although God is all good and omnipotent God must maintain human freedom
also: actions which may seem evil, may lead to a greater, unforeseeable good’
disease and evil example
disease only becomes evil when it comes into contact with people- we spread diseases- in this way evil is a result of human choice
free will
the power to choose, without acts being caused by an external factor or agent
Bible on free will
we have been given the right to free will by God e.g. Adam and eve- God always new what their chose would be however allowed them their free will and they got their due punishment
proverbs 16.9 on free will
a mans heart devises his ways: but the lord directs his steps’
John Calvin
1509- no free will.
He became critical of problems in the french catholic church e.g. buying of indulgences from sins (paying for sins). Main figure in the Protestant reformation. Predestination- God is able to experience the past present and future and therefore already knows the future- he has chosen who he will save- so there is no point trying to change our futures
