Free Will vs Determinism

MORE EVALUATIONS NEEDED

What is Determinism

The idea that our behaviour should be predictable as it is controlled by internal or external factors

Free Will

The idea that we are capable of self determination. We actively control our behaviour

What are the 4 types of determinism

Biological

Environmental

Psychic

Scientific

Biological Determinism

The idea that genetics can influence our behaviour

Hill et al. showed that certain genes were found in highly intelligent individuals

Environmental determinism

Our behaviour is caused by past experience through classical and operant conditioning

Psychic Determinism

Our behaviour is a result of our childhood experiences and innate drives

Scientific determinism

All events have a cause

Hard determinism

The idea that all behaviour can be predicted and that there is no room for free will

Soft determinism

The idea that there is some room for free will

Humanistic Approach (FW)

Maslow + Rogers - self determinism is a necessary part of human behaviour. As long as individuals are controlled by other people or things, they can not be responsible for their behaviour and can't change it. 

Moral Responsibility

• Individuals is in charge of their own actions →they have free will → they take moral responsibility    

• Humans are accountable for their own actions regardless of innate factors or influence of early experiences 

Limitation of determinism - Biological vs environmental

• Neither can be the only determining factor of behaviour

• Eg comparison of identical twins find approx 80% similarity on iq 

Limitation of Free Will - Culturally relative and illusion like

 It seems like we have a choice but we don't always. 

• Free will by be CR to individualist cultures 

• Skinner  - Someone might choose to buy a car or watch a film by choices that are determined by previous reinforcement experiences.