Topic 20 Free Will

Question 1

What is free will?

Answer 1

• ability to make choices about how we behave + act
• evident since we praise / blame ppl for their behaviour -> must be free to choose how to act -> morally responsible for consequences

Question 2

What is the non Christian libertarianist vie on free will?

Answer 2

• each person has a personality -> shaped by factors eg upbringing genetics etc
• also a moral self -> completely free -> when making decision may be swayed by personality but always certain level of freedom

Question 3

What is an example to show libertarianism?

Answer 3

• kleptomaniac’s personality -> want to steal
• libertarians believe -> moral self overrides personality to prevent stealing + bad moral action

I.e do have free will + capacity

Question 4

What are three reasons why (non religious) we must have moral freedom?

Answer 4

1. Choose clothes in the morning, choose food, choose choose choose choose
2. We make decisions!
3. Legal system -> must be moral responsibility -> must be moral freedom -> punished for actions not something you had no control over

Question 5

What are 3 reasons why Christians believe in free will?

Answer 5

1. God has given us free will -> unless we had choice between doing good/evil wouldn’t have 10 commandments etc, idea of god’s judgement -> based on idea of choosing between right and wrong -> no point in heaven/hell if can’t make own decisions eg Matt 25 Sheep + Goats
2. Imago die -> god has free will -> so do we -> demonstrated in gen with adam + eve
3. Evil + suffering in world -> omnibenevolence + omnipotent God wouldn’t create us to do that unless it was our decision not his

Question 6

What are 3 reasons why Christians wouldn’t support free will?

Answer 6

1. Christians who support predestination -> cannot have complete free will -> god = omniscient (knows all we do) -> lives not completely free (if doesn’t know our next actions then omniscience limited)
2. Free will rejects teaching found in bible -> god who predestines everything (Jesus meant to die on cross)
3. Early church fathers supported idea that God predestined everything

Question 7

What is predetermination?

Answer 7

All events in life are pre determined (hard determinists)

Question 8

What is predestination?

Answer 8

Christian predetermination

Pre decided whether you are to go to heaven / hell

Question 9

What are 5 limitations to free will?

Answer 9

1. Gravity + laws of science limit free will (can’t fly)
2. Legal systems limit freedom -> can’t murder whoever you want (well, technically you can but could argue that society doesn’t accept it 😈)
3. Physical limitations -> biologically -> can’t breathe underwater
4. Spiritual limitations -> Augustine -> limited by Fall
5. Limited by historical + social context -> Victorian women, limited opportunities + women in Saudi Arabia couldn’t drive until recently

Question 10

What is genetic determinism?

Answer 10

Idea that how you behave is determined by your character which is determined by your genes + thus there is no free will

• genes determine physical characteristics (children resemble parents) inheritance via sperm + egg (no control over these)
• possible that inherit certain character traits eg sarcasm + hot temper

Question 11

What is psychological determinism?

Answer 11

• how we act caused by character -> caused by upbringing
• children very impressionable + character is shaped by their environment

Eg studious vs lazy child due to parents + what is normalised at home during childhood

Question 12

What is physical determinism?

Answer 12

• brain just biological computer
• synapses fire certain way cos have received specific input from senses
• thoughts + choices -> directly caused by these processes + free will = an illusion

Question 13

What are 3 reasons why non religious people do not accept determinism?

Answer 13

1. Children differ from parents -> and siblings dramatically -> implies not fully determined by nature + nurture
2. Genes -> for physical characteristics affected by external factors eg genetically predisposed to grow tall won’t if malnourished
3. Highly unlikely that one gene can be linked to one characteristic / behaviour

Question 14

What did Augustine believe about predestination?

Answer 14

• ‘by god’s grace certain people..are chosen to go to heaven’

Also in romans 8

Question 15

What did french Protestant reformer John Calvin argue about predestination?

Answer 15

• since fall ppl inherently sinful
• no one is good enough to earn way to heaven
• salvation unmerited gift from hod
• not based on our actions (unearned)
• god chooses the ‘elect’ before birth -> Holy Spirit enables them to do good
• those destined for 🔥 hell 🔥 are called reprobate -> no help from Holy Spirit -> no choice but to do bad (that is human nature)
• predestined + not free

Question 16

Why do some christians not accept predestination?

Answer 16

1. Makes moral laws pointless
2. Makes judgement pointless
3. Not fair (omnibenevolence god - would he create reprobate at all)
4. Meant verses in bible implying ppl have genuine choice

Question 17

Why do many non religious people not accept idea of predestination?

Answer 17

• no god -> predestination = unacceptable
• omnibenevolence issue (pluralists would argue this, thinking that everyone should be saved)
• all good humans do = waste of time -> not responsible for actions