Issues And Debates: Free Will and Determinism

Question 1

Define free will

Answer 1

the idea that humans can make their own choices and their behaviour is not determined

Question 2

Define Determinism

Answer 2

The idea that humans do not make their own decisions, instead all actions and behaviour is deterred by external or internal forces out of their control.
This is hard determinism wheres soft determinism believes behaviour has causes but there is also an element of free will

Question 3

Define Types of determinism

Answer 3

1. Biological - behaviour is innate and genes determine it
2. Environmental - behaviour caused by external factors
3. Psychic - behaviour is a result of childhood experience and innate drives from ego, id and superego

Question 4

Evaluation of determinism

Answer 4

+ consistent with aims of science
+ predictions always treatments to be made
- Doesn’t work with legal system if people have no free all over actions how can they be held accountable
- unfalsifiable therefore unscientific

Question 5

Evaluation of free will

Answer 5

+ face validity as we show free will everyday
+ Having internal locus of control and believing in free will is healthy
- Research shows brain activity occurs before movement when deciding if they should click a button with right or left hand. shows even basic things lack free will