Free will

Question 1

Give a quote from Kant

Answer 1

“Ought” implies “can”

Question 2

Summarise what Kant said about free will

Answer 2

Morality is based upon freedom. A moral obligation or duty implies that this is possible to exercise. Humans are free to rationalise.

Question 3

Nature or nurture debate

Answer 3

concerned with the extent to which particular aspects of behaviour are a product of either inherited or acquired characteristics

Question 4

Cases which explain that genetics and environment influence people’s actions

Answer 4

Clarence Darrow: Leopold and Loeb
Baby P
Mary Bell
Venables and Thompson
Milgram's experiments 
Predisposed gene of abused children
Bowie's ethical situation

Question 5

Explain Clarence Darrow’s case

Answer 5

Two teenage boys were accused of kidnapping and killing another teenager. Influenced by Nietzche’s philosophy. Darrow argued that they were not completely responsible for their actions, but the products of their environment they grew up in. They were sentenced to life imprisonment rather than the death penalty

Question 6

Baby P

Answer 6

Parents abused him and left him to death. Their childhood was surrounded by drugs and abuse

Question 7

Mary Bell

Answer 7

Convicted of the murder of two toddlers. Her mother was a prostitute. Mary would be forced to listen to her mother entertain clients

Question 8

Venables and Thompson

Answer 8

Convicted for the abduction, torture and murder of Jamie Bulger

Question 9

Milgram’s experiments

Answer 9

How far people would go in obeying an instruction if it involved harming another person. Ordinary people are likely to follow orders given by an authority, even to the extent of killing an innocent human being

Question 10

Predisposed gene

Answer 10

A particular gene predisposed children towards bad behaviour. Abused children who had the gene are more likely to go on to abuse others

Question 11

Give one Bowie’s ethical situation

Answer 11

A policeman intentionally shoots dead an innocent civilian

Question 12

Two points to consider regarding free will

Answer 12

The genetic aspect of our make-up: we inherit and pass on traits from our parents and this makes up the DNA of an individual. Our genetics mean we are programmed just like a computer.
The extent to which social context affects and controls our behaviour. Upbringing influences our actions

Question 13

Non-ethical situations

Answer 13

Reading a book, taking an exam the next day

Question 14

Problem with nature and nurture debate

Answer 14

A person may act contrary to their upbringing or genetic disposition. Doesn’t allow for the possibility of the strength of will power, restraint and self-discipline

Question 15

Social contract

Answer 15

the unwritten agreement in society that a citizen agrees to in relation to following the rules that society sets

Question 16

Conflict of free wills

Answer 16

Restraint on our freedoms. For example, the law. Individual rights need to be exercised within the parameters of social contracts and any individual conflicts of freedoms must be dealt with.

Question 17

Example of a social contract

Answer 17

National Socialism in 1930s Germany expressed an idea of human beings based on racial grounds and sought to organise a racially pure state.

Question 18

Skinner’s theory

Answer 18

behavior is determined by its consequences, be they reinforcements or punishments. The environment was full of factors which exercised degrees of control over human beings.