Free Will Indeterminism And Libertarianism

In the matter of free will indeterminism and libertarianism provide for the existence of such an idea. Although both account for free actions beings those in which were chosen from an array of choices that also could have been made, there is a subtle distinction between the two. The former suggests that some actions are not determined but rather due to randomness or chance and the latter suggests that those actions which are not determined are the result of free will (Chaffee 161). William James' modest perspective of libertarianism claims that because people seek to better themselves and the world around them and seek out morality proves the existence of free will. He believed that we live in a world of possibilities in which the future cannot be predicted or otherwise known until it happens. The fact that the theory of determinism cannot accurately predict what will happen in the future strongly supports James' stance that free will must exist. James' also purported that without free choice of possibilities there would be no rationale for approval or feelings of regret. …show more content…
If determinism were true and everyone believed that everything happens for a reason, then there would be no logic behind trying to improve outcomes of future experiences or even one's self. Therefor, that fact that humans do seek self, social, and moral improvement is evidence of the existence of free will. If free will did not exist we would have no rational reason for laws governing punishments of actions. The theory of libertarianism explains more realistically our actual lived human experiences better than that of