FREE AGENCY NOTES

Introduction to Free Will/Determinism

Determinism: the theory that all events, including human actions and choices, are totally determined. (An event E is totally determined iff E was completely caused by preceding events, i.e., there were certain natural conditions prior to E such that, given their occurrence, E had to occur.)

Indeterminism: the theory that some events are not determined by preceding events, especially some human actions.

Determinism seems to imply that I can never do otherwise than what I do, given the circumstances.

So it seems that being able to do otherwise is a necessary condition for moral responsibility[???]

Similar problem for indeterminism, however. It must maintain that some actions just happen by chance. So if my action is undetermined, I also could not have done otherwise.

The Determinism/Indeterminism Dilemma

  1. If determinism is true, then we can never do other than what we do, i.e., we're never responsible for what we do.

  2. If indeterminism is true, then some human actions are random, and thus not free, i.e., we're never responsible for what we do.

  3. Either determinism is true or else indeterminism is true.
    ______________________________________________________________
  4. Thus, we're never responsible for what we do.

Ways of Responding to the Dilemma

  1. Accept the conclusion by affirming the truth of determinism: Hard Determinism = the view that determinism is true, we never act freely, and we are not morally responsible for our actions (Holbach).

  2. Deny premise #1: Soft Determinism/Compatibilism = the view that (1) determinism is true, and (2) determinism is compatible with free will and responsibility (Stace).

    According to this view, "I could have done otherwise" = "If I had chosen differently, I would have done otherwise."

  3. Deny premise #2: Libertarianism = the view that (1) determinism is incompatible with freedom and responsibility, and (2) determinism is false. On this view, our actions are neither determined nor random accidents, and are thus free and responsible (Campbell).



HOLBACH'S HARD DETERMINISM

The Argument

  1. X acts freely iff X's activity is not caused in any way.

  2. No human action is ever not caused.
    __________________________________________________
  3. Thus, no human ever acts freely.

For Holbach, there are two different types of causes:

  1. External causes = causes from outside a being.

  2. Internal causes = causes from within a being.

    The internal cause involved in any particular action will be a



Possible Objections

  1. The ability of humans to choose between two alternatives proves that humans are really free agents.

    Holbach's Reply:


  2. Free activity has been defined improperly. It actually means "activity unimpeded by obstacles."

    In other words, as long as I'm able to act on my motivations (i.e., do what I want) without external interference, I act freely.

    Holbach's Reply:


  3. Humans are free because they are able to resist their inclinations.

    Holbach:



Implications of Holbach's View for Morality

  1. No moral responsibility.

  2. No deserving praise or blame.


So what makes us believe, mistakenly, that we're free agents? In other words, if it's so clear that all of our actions are caused by external or internal causes, why do we insist that we're free and thus morally responsible?

Holbach's answer:



CAMPBELL'S LIBERTARIANISM

  1. Methodology



  2. Campbell's Conditions for Responsibility

    What kind of freedom is required for moral responsibility?

    1. Moral responsibility presupposes ____________________________

    2. X is morally responsible for an action only if _________________________




    3. Moral responsibility presupposes _____________________________



      X is responsible only if ____________________________________ (Principle of Alternative Possibilities -- PAP).

    The question now becomes: do persons ever fulfill these three conditions?

  3. The Libertarian Thesis



    Common sense: degree of moral responsibility depends on degree of _____________, regardless of success in action; _________________ is something unaffected by upbringing/heredity and depends solely on the self.



  4. The Phenomenology of Freedom




  5. Implications and Problems

    1. Limited Range of Freedom

      Implication: Freedom occurs only in those instances where ____________________________.

      Problem:


    2. Self/Character

      Implication: the self is ________________________.



      Problem:


    3. The Middle Way

      Implication: the determinism/indeterminism dilemma ___________________.



      Problem:



    4. PAP




STACE'S COMPATIBILISM

  1. Morality and Freedom

    Stace: without free will there could be no morality. Why?


  2. The Meaning of "Free Will"

    The point both Holbach and Campbell agree on: if determinism is true, we don't have free will. For both, "free will" = indeterminism.

    Stace: this simply isn't what we mean by "free will."




    For Holbach, the proper contrast is between "freedom" and _____________________.

    For Stace, the proper contrast is between "freedom" and ______________________.

    X's act is free iff ______________________________________________.



  3. Coercion



  4. Divine Foreknowledge




  5. Justification for Punishment

    Free will is a condition of moral responsibility, i.e., one may be justifiably praised/blamed only for those actions one performs freely.

    But how could one be justifiably praised/blamed for those actions one was determined to do?

    In other words, what justifies punishment?

    1. _____________________

    2. _____________________

    How are these justifications compatible with determinism? According to Stace, justified punishment requires determinism because:



  6. Problems

    1. Holbach's Reply


    2. External Desire Implants


    3. Internal Compulsion


    4. Punishment

      Problem: if the justification for punishment is either _________ or __________, then we would be justified in punishing people _________________________________.




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