It seems that determinism are in conflict with free will. Compatibilism is a concept that free will and determinism are compatible. In this paper, I will first state the contradiction between free will and determinism, then illustrate what is compatibilism, with most of the the problem that a compatibilist would face regarding freedom.
To begin, determinism is that “human behavior is entirely governed by causal law” (Ayer, 1954, p.271). It means that every action is caused by an earlier event. As an illustration, I am writing this philosophical paper because I was enrolled in this course. Tracing back all the causal influences, my action of writing this paper is caused by events before my birth. Therefore, even if I failed in this final paper, …show more content…
It is obvious that determinism and free will forms a contradictive relationship. If our action is causally determined, it is impossible for us to choose between options. However, compatibilist believes that there are no contradictions between determinism and free will at the same time claims that causal experience allows a person to act in a certain way which give rise to moral responsibility (Pereboom, 2014). Other than that, Richard Taylor (2002) summarize different versions of compatiblism as
(1) the deterministic concept that human behaviour is causally determined; (2) that there is freedom in voluntary behaviour, so long as there is no physical impediment or constraint upon the action; and (3) that the cause of the voluntary behaviour (which is possible in the absence of impediments or constraints) is an internal state of the agent of the action (Taylor, 2002)
The remaining parts of the paper will focus on the challenges that a compatibilist face based on the above …show more content…
In the case, it appears that human beings are separated in different parts, brain, hands, legs, etc. Moreover, compatibilist may argue in the way that human do not need to control their genes and preference in order to have freedom. Our character and personality may be determined by our genes that is impossibility chosen by us.(Galen) But our genetic inheritance never compel us in making decision as freedom is defined as to be able to choose and act under own belief and desire which comes from who you are. Determinism is compatible with free will even if ‘who you are’ is
To begin, determinism is that “human behavior is entirely governed by causal law” (Ayer, 1954, p.271). It means that every action is caused by an earlier event. As an illustration, I am writing this philosophical paper because I was enrolled in this course. Tracing back all the causal influences, my action of writing this paper is caused by events before my birth. Therefore, even if I failed in this final paper, …show more content…
It is obvious that determinism and free will forms a contradictive relationship. If our action is causally determined, it is impossible for us to choose between options. However, compatibilist believes that there are no contradictions between determinism and free will at the same time claims that causal experience allows a person to act in a certain way which give rise to moral responsibility (Pereboom, 2014). Other than that, Richard Taylor (2002) summarize different versions of compatiblism as
(1) the deterministic concept that human behaviour is causally determined; (2) that there is freedom in voluntary behaviour, so long as there is no physical impediment or constraint upon the action; and (3) that the cause of the voluntary behaviour (which is possible in the absence of impediments or constraints) is an internal state of the agent of the action (Taylor, 2002)
The remaining parts of the paper will focus on the challenges that a compatibilist face based on the above …show more content…
In the case, it appears that human beings are separated in different parts, brain, hands, legs, etc. Moreover, compatibilist may argue in the way that human do not need to control their genes and preference in order to have freedom. Our character and personality may be determined by our genes that is impossibility chosen by us.(Galen) But our genetic inheritance never compel us in making decision as freedom is defined as to be able to choose and act under own belief and desire which comes from who you are. Determinism is compatible with free will even if ‘who you are’ is