Determinism
One of the greatest discussions amongst philosophers deals with explaining the basis of all human actions. This debate between determinism and free will is at the core of many philosophical questions. Determinism is the idea that every event in the universe is determined by a previous event or cause, and that there is no free will. Determinism is not the idea that an event will happen and we have no control over it, but the idea that our actions are predetermined by our previous actions, the actions preceding them and the laws of nature (p. 5). In this essay I will explain the most popular argument for determinism, the necessity and importance of free will, and several other important philosophical questions that are frequently presented in the discussion of determinism and free will. One of the most prominent proponents of hard determinism is Derk Pereboom. Pereboom’s argument for determinism deals with the idea that agent-causation is the only possible way that we could have free will. He believes that this is …show more content…
From a purely scientific standpoint, we observe daily the cause-and-effect chain that occurs in nature. Personally, I tend to lean towards Sam Harris’ view on free will; as an illusion. Whether or not we view free will as important (leaving out the debate of it it exists or not) lies within the individual. Believing in determinism may change how someone sees the world, but not necessarily in a bad way. I think determinism helps us understand the world more rationally, the same way being disillusioned from a theological belief that the world was created in seven days can help us understand it more fully. For me, life seems to be more meaningful because I did not just decide at random on which path I would depart, but I was guided by the internal causes that my parents facilitated, and their parents before them, back to the beginning of the
One of the greatest discussions amongst philosophers deals with explaining the basis of all human actions. This debate between determinism and free will is at the core of many philosophical questions. Determinism is the idea that every event in the universe is determined by a previous event or cause, and that there is no free will. Determinism is not the idea that an event will happen and we have no control over it, but the idea that our actions are predetermined by our previous actions, the actions preceding them and the laws of nature (p. 5). In this essay I will explain the most popular argument for determinism, the necessity and importance of free will, and several other important philosophical questions that are frequently presented in the discussion of determinism and free will. One of the most prominent proponents of hard determinism is Derk Pereboom. Pereboom’s argument for determinism deals with the idea that agent-causation is the only possible way that we could have free will. He believes that this is …show more content…
From a purely scientific standpoint, we observe daily the cause-and-effect chain that occurs in nature. Personally, I tend to lean towards Sam Harris’ view on free will; as an illusion. Whether or not we view free will as important (leaving out the debate of it it exists or not) lies within the individual. Believing in determinism may change how someone sees the world, but not necessarily in a bad way. I think determinism helps us understand the world more rationally, the same way being disillusioned from a theological belief that the world was created in seven days can help us understand it more fully. For me, life seems to be more meaningful because I did not just decide at random on which path I would depart, but I was guided by the internal causes that my parents facilitated, and their parents before them, back to the beginning of the