A worksheet on free will and determinism, including what it is and how it's approached, how the approaches work, and why it's important.
The problem of free will and determinism has challenged philosophers for centuries, because if all events have prior causes then human beings may not be able to think or act freely. There are two general approaches to solving this problem: the first, compatibilism, claims free will and determinism are logically compatible; the second, incompatibilism, claims they are not. Write definitions for "free will", "compatibilism" and "incompatibilism".
Free Will
Compatibilism
Incompatibilism
Free will and determinism are not opposites of one another: free will is an ability and determinism is a belief. Make a note of the difference between determinism and its opposite, indeterminism.
Determinism
Indeterminism
There are several approaches to the problem of free will and determinism, and each approach attempts to solve the problem in a different way. Some approaches adopt determinism, some approaches adopt indeterminism, and some approaches adopt a position between these two poles (e.g. libertarianism, which accepts that most events are determined with the exception of mental ones (i.e. thoughts)). Additionally, approaches are categorised as either compatibilist or incompatibilist. Make a note about how the different approaches to free will and determinism work.
Hard Determinism
Soft Determinism
Libertarianism
Hard Indeterminism
The problem of free will and determinism is important because it affects how people ascribe moral responsibility within society. Write a definition for "moral responsibility".
Moral Responsibility
Deciding how to ascribe moral responsibility within society is important for various reasons. For example, hard determinists believe that all human actions are determined and that free will is an illusion. Consequently, either punishing or rewarding people for their behaviour is irrational. Conversely, libertarians believe that all human actions are freely taken, which makes punishing and rewarding people for their behaviour entirely understandable. Make a note about why free will and determinism is important.
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