Free Will and Determinism Flashcards
What is free-will?
Idea that we are self-determining
What is hard determinism?
Free will is not possible as our behaviour is always caused by internal or external events beyond our control.
What is determinism?
Idea that we have no choice
What is soft determinism?
All actions have a cause but people have a conscious mental control over behaviour
What is biological determinism?
Behaviour is controlled by physiological, genetic and hormonal processes
What is environmental determinism?
Behaviour is caused by features of the environment (e.g. systems of reward and punishment) that we cannot control
What is psychic determinism?
The belief that behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts that we cannot control.
What is a strength of determinism?
- Predict and control human behaviour
- Very scientific
What is the limitation of detereminsm?
Does not hold with the legal system as based on individual responsibility
Why is determinism being falsifiable a limitation?
As you cannot prove that its wrong as it is based on the idea that causes of behaviors will always exist
Why does free will have face validity?
As we feel as if we are making a choice in our everyday life
Is free will having face validity a strength or a weakness?
Strength
Is free will supported by neurological evidence?
No
Why does neurological evidence not support free will?
Shows that decision making is made a few seconds before reported of consciously being reported
