Free Will and Determinism Flashcards
What is the definition of determinism
the belief that a determinate set of conditions can only produce one possible outcome given the fixed laws of nature
How to quickly define determinism
CA + CO +SL= UE
cause + condition + scientific laws = unique effect
What is Libet’s experiment?
Experiment which suggests that decisions are made before our consciousness is aware of it.
What happens in libet’s experiment?
A person is asked to chose either the red or blue card whilst their brain activity is being monitored. The results show that they had made the decision up to 6 seconds before they said which card they pick.
Why are some people not convinced by Libet’s experiment?
It assumes a neutral baseline of brain activity, but it changes all the time.
Recent studies show shorter periods of changed activity, like Matsuhashi and Hallett in 2008, showed that it was 0.023 seconds out of 15 cases..
Why does CA+CO+SL=UE lead to circularity?
If we ask, what is determinism? we are told it is ca+co+sl=ue. If we ask what cause is in this, we are told is it that which determines an event.
What example is the circularity argument similar to?
I believe in God because it says so in the scriptures, and i believe the scriptures are right because they are the direct word of god.
How does determinism undermine morality?
We cannot award praise or blame to someone if everything there do is determined.
How is determinism unfalsifiable?
No way of testing it, if we say determinism is false, a determinist could argue that we were determined to believe that
What are the arguments against determinism?
Not convinced by Libet’s experiment
Ca+co+sl=ue lead to circularity
Determinism undermines morality
Its unfalsifiable
What do fatalists believe
That the big events in our lives are fated, but we have free will regarding small everyday actions.
Why are chance and determinism compatible?
Determinists say there is no chance, but what is believed to be in chance is determined.
What example illustrates chance and determinism being compatible
Roulette wheel -
chance - we do not know the answer, its random
determinism - the answer is determined by the spin of the wheel
What is compatibalism
The belief in both free will and determinism
What is Hobbes’ river analogy?
The course of the river is determined by the river banks, but it has freedom of flow because it is not damned.
What does Hobbes’ river analogy show?
It is free flowing, but it is also guided by the river banks, showing that human life has free will as long as it has no interruptions.
What did Frankfurt think?
He thought that we all had free will, but that not all of us exercised it.
What are first order desires?
Desires we have in common with animals, like being hungry
What are second order desires
Reflections on our first order desires
What example is used to illustrate Frankfurt’s theory?
1) Someone who is addicted to smoking may crave a cigarette, this is their first order desire
2) If they wanted to stop smoking, this would be a second order desire
3) Actually doing something to stop smoking would be completing the second order desire and therefore using your free will.
What are wantons
People who dont have free will or dont know how to exercise it
What would determinists say to Frankfurt?
That second order desires are also determined by physical factors
What did Frankfurt reply to determinists saying that second order desires are physically determined?
He said that they were psychologically determined, so determined in a different way
What is the moral responsibility argument?
If everything we do is determined, we cannot take responsibility for our actions.
What example is used to illustrate the moral responsibility argument?
If a robot was programmed to only do good moral things, then we would not praise it every time it did a good thing.
