Do Human Beings Have Free Will?

Date:

Name:

Libertarianism (Incompatibilist)

• Describe this view.

According to the libertarianism view, the agents are at times free as well as morally responsible. The other important point to note about this view is that individual moral responsibility along with the free will is not compatible with causal determinism.

• Provide 2–3 reasons why people believe/support this view.

The libertarians hold the belief that the concept of free will is not compatible with causal determinism, and this is despite the fact that the agents have free will. This kind of perspective pushes them to deny that causal determinism is true. Apart from that, the other reason as to why the libertarians support this point of view is because they believe that free actions arise from indeterministic agents.

• Give 2–3 reasons why people object to/are against this view.

One of the reasons as to why people are against this view is that it is not an obligation for a person to deliberate unless it is up to him or her. Apart from that, the other reason as to why people oppose libertarianism view is that one can only deliberate about things that will happen in the future.

• Write one paragraph about how the view relates to the topic of moral responsibility.

This view suggests that people should be held morally responsible. This claim is based on the premise that individuals are subjected to make free choices without coercion. In the process, they end up using significant amount of time. People are only morally responsible in case it happens that they arrive at undetermined choices. When there is a lack of determination in the choices made, then this means that there is incompatibility.

Hard Determinism (Incompatibilist)

• Describe this view.

According to this point of view, people tend to be morally responsible for the actions that they are refrained or rather prevented from doing. In such a case, when an individual feels like or rather have a belief that they are free, they tend to embrace a more unethical behavior.

• Provide 2–3 reasons why people believe/support this view.

The reason as to why people believe in hard determinism is that the matter of duty or obligation is bound with the doctrine of freedom before many. A person’s character is what will determine his acts, thus making him responsible for his actions. Apart from that, the other argument in support of this view is that God, who is the controller of all creatures is omnipresent, and therefore knows what one is going to do.

• Give 2–3 reasons why people object to/are against this view.

One of the arguments in support of this view is that of the incoherence of the ordained morality. In this regard, the association of moral responsibility and free will is not deeply intuitive but is logically necessary. The other reason why people are against this view is based on the premise that determinism is self-refuting in that if free will is an illusion with everything being predetermined, then the cause for people to believe in the two facets is because of their predetermination to do so.

• Write one paragraph about how the view relates to the topic of moral responsibility.

Mapping hard determinism to moral responsibility, people are only morally responsible for the actions that they could have avoided and that they tend to behave in a more unethical manner when they don’t believe that they are free. Therefore, if free will is presumed to be an illusion, then it is hard wired to people.

Soft Determinism (Compatibilist)

• Describe this view.

This point of view acknowledges the fact that all events have causes. However, free actions come into play when the actions are not out of external forces but from one’s choices. The behavior and actions by humans are in line with the causal events or are instigated by the causal events.

• Provide 2–3 reasons why people believe/support this view.

People act on the basis of freedom in that they are able to do what they choose to do. When an act is caused by choice rather than external forces, then this is presumed to be free. The other reason as to why people believe in soft determinism is that a person is freed from the burdens of hope by recognizing that whatever happens could not have been otherwise.

• Give 2–3 reasons why people object to/are against this view.

People are against this view since when it is presumed that we are only free only when compelled by the external forces ignores the fact that actions are determined by inner forces. Apart from that, it is the external forces that make people act or behave the way they do, so how can people be said to be really free.

• Write one paragraph about how the view relates to the topic of moral responsibility.

Mapping soft determinism to moral responsibility, people tend to act based on the likely outcomes. In this case, the actions that are pursued by persons are based on their duty and obligations to do so.