Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
7 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Examine Various understandings of the concept of Free Will.
|
Answer including philosophical and religious perspectives. Free will is an essential part of - human nature, soft deterministic, compatibilist, and libertarianism view. (can include God's gift, karma and predestination) Various can mean a variety of understandings within a religion, God has given us free will in order to accept responsibility for our actions, free will within boundaries, the 10 commandments and/ or philosophical perspectives. Focus on free will but philosophical and religious theories included.
|
|
|
"Free will is essential for making Ethical Choices" Assess this view.
|
An ethical choice can be coerced by personally ingrained rules and laws. God did not create robots but humans with free will and the ability to make our own choices. Need free will to understand the difference between right and wrong. To be responsible for our choices we must have freedom. What else is needed for ethical choices. Is there such thing as free will? People can make choices even if coerced or incapable. Free will is not needed only knowledge and application of ethical theories or right or wrong. Need to do what is required by a higher authority such as God. Many religions believe in pre-destination therefore we do seem to make choices but our future is already determined. |
|
|
Examine the concepts of Hard and Soft Determinism.
|
There are forces outside our control which affect how we behave. Including laws of nature, nurture, environment, genes, peer pressure and personality. Hard determinism - we will always be affected by these factors. Soft determinism - although we are predetermined to act a certain way, we can choose not to. Soft determinism - says personality is a factor in determining our decisions. External and Internal causes. |
|
|
‘If we have no choice but to commit a crime, we should not be held morally responsible for it.’ How far do you agree? |
For If you are forced to do something it isn't your responsibility/ fault. In legal cases there is the defence of diminished responsibility. Choice is an illusion, therefore we are not blameworthy as we had no choice. It would be inhuman to punish someone whop was mentally ill or mad. Fate implies that what happened had to happen, therefore there is no fault. Against We have free will therefore we choose what we do. A crime has still been committed whatever the background is. Religious teachings are all about taking acceptance and responsibility for what we have done. I f we cannot be punished/ held responsible for doing something wrong, we cannot be praised for doing something right. |
|
|
Examine the role of Conscience in Libertarianism.
|
Answers should include a definition of conscience and how it operates when we make decisions. Including the principles of integrity, guilt morals, principles and duty. In libertarianism there is the thought that we are never coerced into anything, however this does not always work in social situations, could they say that they were acting thought their conscience? Freud believed that our conscience could curtail our feelings hence change our behaviour, limiting freedom. Focusing question directly on libertarianism and conscience. |
|
|
"Libertarianism is a good theory, but cannot work in practise." Assess this claim.
|
For Responsibility limits total freedom. Accepting consequence of liberty means that we may not feel free to act. People have different versions of liberty therefore one thing which display liberty to one may not to another. John Locke's view of liberty is thought provoking as man in a locked room. Against We generally believe that we do have the ability to do what we want and poses freedom. Most democratic societies are based on the idea of freedom. There would be no system of sanction or punishment if people were not responsible for their actions. |
|
|
|
|
