Libertarianism, Free Will And Determinism Flashcards
What is the commonly held view in society?
We should be morally responsible for actions that we freely perform. We can only attribute moral blame or praise to actions that are freely undertaken
Give an example of ignorance?
If a general in a war sends his troops into a valley that he believes to be safe, he is not morally blameworthy if there is a secret ambush that kills all his troops, assuming he could not have known what was going to happen. If, on the other hand, he had sent them to their deaths knowingly, or without making appropriate checks, then he would be morally blameworthy. Negligence is immoral
How can someone not be in control of his or her actions and are they blameworthy?
Because of drugs, alcohol or some other disorientating influence- such as emotional trauma or a psychological condition- then that person is not entirely morally responsible for his or her actions.
Why is someone’s intention important?
Intention has some bearing on moral culpability. Criminals who intend to commit their crimes are punished more heavily than those who commit unplanned crimes.
What did Kant say?
“Ought” implies “can”. Moral actions are freely undertaken actions
What did Kant believe?
Humans are free to make rational choices. Without freedom, the possibility of making moral choices is denied. This ability to freely rationalise, or reason, is what sets humans apart from other animals that lack this capability. If people are not free, the possibility of making moral choices is denied.
How do our genes curtail our freedom?
Early stage of understanding on the impact genetic combinations have on predispositions. The extent to how much these govern our behaviour is not clear- you may have enough willpower to restrain yourself. Predisposition does not necessarily lead to action
What could our volition/ self restraint be down to?
Might be to do with genetics but also might be down to religious or ethical beliefs, or psychological or emotional capacities- inner strengths that enable us to live in a more authentic way which is closer to our principles. Some people are more risk averse
What did Skinner argue?
The discussion about moral behaviour did not take into account what science is telling us. He was critical of attempts to control people by changing attitudes or building a sense of moral responsibility. They do not show the understanding of the impact that the environment has on human behaviour. Skinner thought that people were fooled by an unscientific old fashioned view of human beings that we are in control of our actions and can reason the right thing to do. He argued that environment was full of factors which exercised degrees of control over human beings. If Skinner is right, then our ideas about freedom and morality and also punishment are challenged
What’s a social contract?
An arrangement by which the individual gains benefits from being part of a group, at the cost of some limitations or restrictions on how the individual behaves. Freedoms and rights are given up in the interest of social order. Within the social contract tensions can emerge over how much diversity is allowed
What is libertarianism?
We are free and morally responsible for our actions. They believe that we are not compelled to act by forces outside our moral consciousness. Moral actions are mot chance or random events, but result from the values and character of the moral agent.
If i am brought up among criminals i may be predisposed to think that stealing is acceptable, but moral perception can present the idea that it is wrong. Some people give in to temptation while others hold out.
What did John Stuart Mill argue?
Concerned that the individual should not be crushed by the will of the many in society or by the state. He was just as concerned that the views of the mob would crush the diversity of individual people as he was that the state would control what they did
What did mill say?
‘The individual is not accountable to society for his actions in so far as these concern the interests of no person but himself’
What did Mill say about identity?
My identity is as much a feature of my own choices as it is something given at birth. Human personality is an expression of free will and human beings cannot develop if they cannot exercise their will.
What did libertarians say about freedom?
Moral responsibility requires freedom. They suggest we have a sense of self determination or freedom to act. Freedom is an important, perhaps defining, feature of what it means to be a human person, what it means to be a moral self
Why are libertarians incompatibilists?
They maintain that free will is incompatible with determinism
What did Plato say that supports libertarianism?
“Your destiny shall not be allotted to you, but you shall choose it for yourselves”
How do libertarians distinguish between a persons formed character/personality and their moral self?
Personality is governed by causal laws, which are capable of scientific explanation and prediction. The personality one has is formed by hereditary and environment and limits the choices one has, thus making us more likely to choose certain kinds of actions and not others. A youth who is brought up surrounded by violence and crime is more likely to decide on a career of violence and crime but this is not inevitable. If the youth is aware of the significance of their actions it is possible that their moral self will counteract the tendencies of their personality and cause them to do something morally right.
What is the moral self?
An ethical concept, which comes into operation when we decide what to do in situations of our moral choice. Most often this involves deciding between self interest and duty. This is what distinguishes humans from animals.
How/why is conscience important to libertarianism?
I should not be forced or required to do something that I genuinely believe is wrong. I may hold the view that all killing is wrong and if so i should not be required to fight a war for a country. People who hold conscience to be important see it as a central feature of human dignity. The erosion of conscience, by social pressure or direct state coercion, makes people less human because it limits our free moral decision making
What do libertarians say and conscience and the majority?
It might be argued that an individual conscience should heed to the greater will of the people, as reflected by the state. This view however, gives value only to the weight of the majority. There is a sense that when a human is forced to act against their will, a crime is done against against all human beings, not simply the individual. Eg it may have been in the majority interests of Nazi Germany to eliminate Jews but such acts are still wrong
What does the bible say about conscience?
There are accounts of how sinful acts left the sinner with a profound sense of sin in the heart.
In the New Testament, St Paul mentions conscience many times. He describes it as an awareness of what is good and bad, and observes that it can be weak and mistaken
