Free Will Flashcards
Hard Determinism
Our lives are completely determined and we have no free will
Hard determinist philosophers
Spinoza
Hospers
Voltaire
Spinoza
Our lives are the result of causes in a chain of infinite regress
Hospers
A good life is down to luck
Voltaire
It is unfair of us to expect someone to change who they are as it is not their fault
Lawyer
Darrow reduced sentence for murder from death to life
Behaviourism
Genetic heritage, social conditioning and subconscious influence cause our actions
e.g. pavlov’s dog
Predestination
We are free because of Adam and Eve’s freedom in the garden of Eden
But God is omniscient so already knows who will go to heaven
Predestination philosoher
Aquinas
Aquinas on predestination
God knows who wants to be a moral person, he does not make us act in a certain way but just knows how we will act
Libertarianism
We are totally free and are influenced by nothing and no one
Libertarianism philosopher
Van Inwagen and Hesienberg
Van Inwagen’s view
- We choose what path to take
- If we were determined, we wouldn’t feel guilt
Heisenberg’s view
Physics shows that some events are random
Challenger to Heisenberg
Honderich
Honderich
Random behaviour is only seen on a sub-atomic level, not with human behaviour
Existentialism philosopher
Satre
Satre’s view
Everything in life depends on the individual and the meaning they give to it
Soft determinism philospher
Kant
Soft determinism
We are compelled by external factors but we still have the ultimate freedom in making moral choices
Kant’s view
There are two types of reason
pure reason
practical reason
Pure reason
Knowledge and the scientific world
Determined by external factors
Practical reason
Actions of the will
Internal factor
No reason behind it, we are free to make decisions
