Free Will and Responsibility

Question 1

What does Aristotle say about free will?

Answer 1

“Virtue is concerned with emotions and actions and it is only voluntary feelings and actions for which praise and blame are given” Aristotle

Question 2

What is libertarianism?

Answer 2

absolute free will

Descartes
Kant
Satre

Question 3

What is compatabalism?

Answer 3

when we act according to our desires, we have free will (free from external restraints).

Hume

Question 4

What is Determinism?

Answer 4

Free will is but an illusion

Calvin
Spinoza

Question 5

What is Kant’s view?

Answer 5

We need free will to follow the categorical imperative

Question 6

What does Satre say about free will?

Answer 6

we are responsible for everything we do at all times.

Question 7

What does Hume say about free will?

Answer 7

freedom from external constraints = free will

Freedom is combatable with determinism and requires it - it is essential that our desires aren’t random as it creates our character, and when we express this character, we are truly free

Question 8

What is spinoza’s take of free will?

Answer 8

men know their desires, but don’t know where they come from.

Freedom is an illusion

Question 9

How to apply lib, comp and det to Crime and Punishment?

Answer 9

1. degree of responsibility
2. severity of sentence:
3. Acting on orders:
   - Nazi has to kill or be killed
   - burning bed lady
4. Trial of the century:
   - two PTSD murderers
5. External factors:
   - epileptic husband crash driving
6. inexplicable degradation in character:
   - good teacher turns into a child abuser and with surgery turns back into normal