Free will

Question 1

hard determinism meaning

Answer 1

human behaviour and actions are wholly determined by external factors and humans do not have genuine free will or ethical accountability

Question 2

soft determinism meaning

Answer 2

human behaviour are determined by casual events but human free will does exist when defined as the capacity to act according to nature

Question 3

libertarianism meaning

Answer 3

theory that humans do have genuine freedom to make moral undetermined decisions

Question 4

what are the 2 different words for freedom

Answer 4

liberty of indifference
liberty of spontaneity

Question 5

liberty of indifference meaning

Answer 5

genuine freedom to act according to independent choices that are not wholly determined by external constraints
requires a mind or soul to self cause an action
origination - free choice which begins new causal chain
whatever we choice we could of choice something different

Question 6

liberty of spontaneity

Answer 6

freedom to act according to ones nature
action part of causal chain but only internally constrained by you
your nature is ultimately the result of external influences and conditions

Question 7

what is the theory of universal causation
what sort of view is it

Answer 7

belief that everything in the universe including all human actions and choices has a cause. all events are causally determined and predictable just need to know the effect of the causes. mechanistic view of universe
hard determinism

Question 8

what argument was John Locks and what was his argument

Answer 8

hard determinism - philosophical
used analogy of a sleeping man locked in darkened room, when he awakes he decides he will remain the room unaware that room is locked.
He has no freedom to choose however his ignorance led him to believe he does have the freedom to choose to remain in room

Question 9

what is the implication for moral responsibility with hard determinism

Answer 9

can’t be morally responsible for our actions if they are determined and not result of moral choice.
punishment is reduced to protection for the majority failed attempt at tackling the problem of injustice in the world

Question 10

nature nurture psychological hard determinism approach

Answer 10

all human behaviour are inevitable outcome of complex psychological laws describing cause and effect relationships in human behaviour. so can be predicted
- heredity
- society
- culture
- environment

Question 11

Ivan Pavlov -psychological hard determinism

Answer 11

studied dogs - interaction between salivation and action of the stomach
external stimuli could affect process. rang bell every time dogs were presented with food. begin to salivate with ringing of bell without food. conditioned reflex
links to psychotic people those who withdrew from world may associate all stimuli with possible injury or threat

Question 12

scientific hard determinism

Answer 12

science mechanistic - based on theory of universal causation
every physical event there is a physical cause causal chain traced back to moment of Big Bang.
thoughts and decisions are pre determined

Question 13

Laplace scientific hard determinism

Answer 13

believed that possible at any one time o know the position and speed of all atoms in the universe at any one time possible to know position of any other time in past present or future
state of universe at any time determines state of universe at other times. we can predict the future even though it might not be possible in reality

Question 14

2 people who challenge against scientific determinism

Answer 14

J Eccles
R C Weatherford

Question 15

J Eccles view

Answer 15

quantum field theory provides the space to allow for genuine origination or self caused action.
human brain computer - inbuilt uncertainty in processor can write own programmes - can think for itself
relying on subatomic randomness to generate freedom in the brain

Question 16

Weatherford view

Answer 16

objects to Eccles pointing out that randomness does not necessarily mean true freedom
just because these quantum events are uncaused doesn’t mean they are self caused
quantum mechanics may appear of freedom but may make actual decision an entire random process

Question 17

what type of view did David Hume have

Answer 17

soft determinist
when we say a person acted freely mean they did not act under compulsion or external pressure - liberty of spontaneity

Question 18

soft determinism

Answer 18

view that human freedom and moral responsibity are compatbible with determinism

Question 19

what are the two types of cases in soft determinism

Answer 19

internal causes
external causes

Question 20

internal causes

Answer 20

lead to voluntary actions of free will - act freely in accordance with your nature

Question 21

external causes

Answer 21

lead to involuntary actions of compulsion contrary to ones wishes

Question 22

liberty of indifference

Answer 22

power of individual to be indifferent to all external and internal influences.
act as free agents

Question 23

libertarianism

Answer 23

believe in power of free choice

Question 24

who was a modern philosophical libertarianism

Answer 24

Taylor

Question 25

Taylor - modern philosophical libertarianism

Answer 25

analyse the experience of deliberation - concludes experience of choice is not illusory. determinists set the metaphysical context for debate. libertarians find a break in universal causation a self caused action.
mental capacity to see and understand that there is more than one possible course of action. deliberate about the best course and choose it.

Question 26

what are the two main approaches to the treatment of crime

Answer 26

reform - chance to change
retribution - what they deserve

Question 27

consequences of moral respnisibilty theory for reward and punishment
hard determinism

Answer 27

reward and punishment meaningless since those who break law did not choose to
predestination makes it even more pointless
reject idea of retribution

Question 28

consequences of moral respnisibilty theory for reward and punishment
soft determinism

Answer 28

accept moral responsibility for those who could have done otherwise had they wished
hume - actions should be judged praiseworthy or blameworthy only when there are indication of internal character, passion and affections
hume - punishment improves society

Question 29

consequences of moral respnisibilty theory for reward and punishment
libertarianism

Answer 29

kant see retribution as appropriate response to crme
some would see reform as appropriate response