Freedom vs. Determinism
For this essay, I have chosen the philosophical problem of freedom vs. determinism.
According to determinism, everything that happens is determined by a prior cause. So, therefore determinism holds that every event is the necessary result of the chain of causes leading up to it. An implication of this kind of view is that from a given state of the universe, there can only be one possible future. Psychologlists who take the free will view suggest that determinism removes freedom and dignity, and devalues human behavior. By creating general laws of behavior, deterministic psychology underestimates the uniqueness of human beings and their freedom to choose their own destiny. …show more content…
To exercise this kind of freedom means being ultimately responsible for one's choices. An example would be, if I was kidnapped and held against my will in a locked room, my practical freedom is limited, however I can still choose how to react to my situation. I could panic and try to break out or I could chose to accept my fate and just lay around in the room I was put into. Determinism is often contrasted with free will. It is the metaphysical notion of freedom, freedom of the will, that is threatened by determinism. The textbook lists three different options as how we can respond to this conflict.
Option A is to just accept determinism and reject the belief in free will. Option B is to show how determinism and the idea of free will are compatible. Option C is to endorse the idea that we have free will and reject determinism. I feel that our freedom may be limited at times. I mean you can go out and commit a horrible crime if you chose to, however you won't be free from punishment from the government. You can stab and kill someone if you chose to, but you don't have the choice to deny being arrested and jailed. In determinism, every event is caused …show more content…
I don't believe so though. I believe freedom of will and even fate plays a part in that. As for a solution of the problem of determinism vs free will, I don't really have one. The problem of determinism vs free will has baffled many philosophers for many, many years. So, how can I a mother, wife and EMT possibly have a solution? It is obviously a profound problem because without free will, there cant be morality and no right from wrong. It would mean that all of our behaviors and all of our choices would have been pre-determined and this would mean that we have no choices and no creativity neither. The book states on page 14, "why keep worrying about how to reconcile the idea of freedom with determinism? Isn't the basic sense we all have-that we are free-at least as important and as credible as any philosophical theory?'' I would have to agree with this statement because maybe their simply isn't a way to solve this problem and maybe it really isn't even an actual problem at all. Its simply a philosophical one that doesn't have a solution that philosophers can all back. So, take expierences for what they are and learn and grow from them. Evolve from past expierences to grow as a person
For this essay, I have chosen the philosophical problem of freedom vs. determinism.
According to determinism, everything that happens is determined by a prior cause. So, therefore determinism holds that every event is the necessary result of the chain of causes leading up to it. An implication of this kind of view is that from a given state of the universe, there can only be one possible future. Psychologlists who take the free will view suggest that determinism removes freedom and dignity, and devalues human behavior. By creating general laws of behavior, deterministic psychology underestimates the uniqueness of human beings and their freedom to choose their own destiny. …show more content…
To exercise this kind of freedom means being ultimately responsible for one's choices. An example would be, if I was kidnapped and held against my will in a locked room, my practical freedom is limited, however I can still choose how to react to my situation. I could panic and try to break out or I could chose to accept my fate and just lay around in the room I was put into. Determinism is often contrasted with free will. It is the metaphysical notion of freedom, freedom of the will, that is threatened by determinism. The textbook lists three different options as how we can respond to this conflict.
Option A is to just accept determinism and reject the belief in free will. Option B is to show how determinism and the idea of free will are compatible. Option C is to endorse the idea that we have free will and reject determinism. I feel that our freedom may be limited at times. I mean you can go out and commit a horrible crime if you chose to, however you won't be free from punishment from the government. You can stab and kill someone if you chose to, but you don't have the choice to deny being arrested and jailed. In determinism, every event is caused …show more content…
I don't believe so though. I believe freedom of will and even fate plays a part in that. As for a solution of the problem of determinism vs free will, I don't really have one. The problem of determinism vs free will has baffled many philosophers for many, many years. So, how can I a mother, wife and EMT possibly have a solution? It is obviously a profound problem because without free will, there cant be morality and no right from wrong. It would mean that all of our behaviors and all of our choices would have been pre-determined and this would mean that we have no choices and no creativity neither. The book states on page 14, "why keep worrying about how to reconcile the idea of freedom with determinism? Isn't the basic sense we all have-that we are free-at least as important and as credible as any philosophical theory?'' I would have to agree with this statement because maybe their simply isn't a way to solve this problem and maybe it really isn't even an actual problem at all. Its simply a philosophical one that doesn't have a solution that philosophers can all back. So, take expierences for what they are and learn and grow from them. Evolve from past expierences to grow as a person