Free Will (Helen Steward)

Question 1

Principle of Universal Causation

Answer 1

states that every event or phenomenon has a cause. In this view, everything in the universe is the result of preceding events, and nothing occurs without a cause. This principle is central to determinism

Question 2

Principle of Alternate Possibilities

Answer 2

an individual is morally responsible for an action only if they could have done otherwise. In other words, for a person to be held accountable, there must be alternative courses of action

Question 3

3 positions on debate: definitions of positions, points of agreement/disagreement, advantages/disadvantages

Answer 3

Determinism
Definition: The belief that free will and determinism are compatible. It suggests that free will is not about having alternative possibilities, but about acting according to one’s desires and intentions, even if those desires are causally determined
Agreement: Events, including human actions, are part of a causal chain.
Disagreement: It denies the existence of free will, as it asserts all actions are inevitable given prior causes.
Advantages: Provides a coherent, scientific explanation of the universe. Can explain patterns in behavior.
Disadvantages: It challenges personal responsibility and moral accountability, as people have no true choice.

                                                         Libertarianism Definition: The belief that humans have genuine freedom to choose between alternative possibilities and are not determined by prior causes. Agreement: Humans experience a sense of free will in decision-making. Disagreement: Rejects the idea that every event is caused by prior events; believes in indeterminism. Advantages: Upholds moral responsibility and autonomy, supports the idea of personal agency. Disadvantages: Difficult to reconcile with the scientific understanding of the world, and raises questions about how free choices are possible without clear causes.
   
                                                    Compatibilism Definition: The belief that free will and determinism are compatible. It suggests that free will is not about having alternative possibilities, but about acting according to one's desires and intentions, even if those desires are causally determined. Agreement: Humans act freely when their actions align with their desires and intentions. Disagreement: Rejects the idea that free will requires alternative possibilities or the absence of determinism. Advantages: Offers a practical middle ground, allowing for moral responsibility within a deterministic framework. Disadvantages: Some argue it dilutes the concept of free will, as it doesn’t allow for true alternative possibilities in decision-making

Question 4

determinism

Answer 4

The belief that free will and determinism are compatible. It suggests that free will is not about having alternative possibilities, but about acting according to one’s desires and intentions, even if those desires are causally determined

Question 5

compatibilism

Answer 5

The belief that free will and determinism are compatible. It suggests that free will is not about having alternative possibilities, but about acting according to one’s desires and intentions, even if those desires are causally determined.

Question 6

Libertarianism

Answer 6

The belief that humans have genuine freedom to choose between alternative possibilities and are not determined by prior causes.

Question 7

quantum physics and indeterminism,

Answer 7

at the subatomic level, events are not strictly determined but instead exhibit probabilistic behavior. This means that some events, like the decay of an unstable atom, do not have a predetermined outcome, but instead occur randomly within a set probability range.

Quantum physics being indeterministic does not imply that human choices are indeterministic.