Free will and determinism

Question 1

What is the question of the free will-determinism debate?

Answer 1

Is our behaviour a matter of free will or are we the product of a set of internal/external influences?

Question 2

What is free will?

Answer 2

The notion that humans can make choices and their behaviour/thoughts aren’t determined by biological or external forces.

Question 3

What is determinism?

Answer 3

View that an individual’s behaviour is shaped by internal or external forces rather than an individual’s will to do something.

Question 4

What is hard determinism?

Answer 4

View that all behaviour is caused by something, so free will is an illusion.

Question 5

What is soft determinism?

Answer 5

View that behaviour may be predictable but there is also room for personal choice from some possibilities.

Question 6

What are the 3 types of determinism?

Answer 6

Biological, psychic and environmental

Question 7

What is biological determinism?

Answer 7

Belief that behaviour is caused by biological influences can’t control.

Question 8

What is psychic determinism?

Answer 8

Belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious psychodynamic conflicts that we can’t control.

Question 9

What is environmental determinism?

Answer 9

Belief that behaviour is caused by features of the environment that we can’t control.

Question 10

What is the scientific emphasis on causal explanations?

Answer 10

Every event in the universe has a cause and that causes can be explained by using general laws.

Question 11

One strength of free will - Practical value

Answer 11

• Thinking that we exercise free choice is good for our mental health.
• Roberts et al: looked at adolescents who believed in fatalism (controlled by events out of their control).
• Greater risk of depression.
• External LOC are less likely to be optimistic.
• If we think we have free will, it has a positive effect on mind and behaviour.

Question 12

One limitation of free will - Brain scan evidence supports determinism

Answer 12

• Libet et al: told participants to choose random time to flick their wrist while he measured brain activity.
• Found the unconscious brain activity leading up to decision to move came half a second before they moved.
• Basic experiences of free will are determined by our brain even before we are aware.

Question 13

Limitation of determinism - Position of the legal system on responsibility

Answer 13

• Hard determinism stance is that individual choice doesn’t cause behaviour.
• Doesn’t link with legal system.
• Main principle is that the offender is responsible for their actions.
• In the real world, deterministic arguments don’t work.