Free will and determinism

The belief that there are many paths you can take in life is known as _______

Free will

The belief that there is only one path you can take in life is known as ________

Determinism

What are two reasons why free will matters?

• Morality: praise and blame

• Autonomy: control over ones own life

What is Determinism?

Every event has a cause. This implies that the entire universe follows one inevitable path

What are the two types of Determinists?

1. Hard Determinist

2. Soft Determinist

What does a Libertarian believe?

They believe that we all have free will

Define Hard Determinist.
Define Soft Determinist.

• They believe there is only ONE possible path.

• They believe in determinism and free will but define free will differently.

What is the definition of free will according to soft determinists?

You can do whatever you want

What is compatibilism and incompatibilism?

• Compatibilism is the belief that both free will and determinism can coexist

• Incompatibilism is the belief that free will and determinism CANNOT coexist

Who believes:

Humans have free will?

Libertarians & Soft Determinists

Who believes:
The definition (the meaning) of ‘free will’ is ‘the ability to take many future paths’?

Hard determinists and Libertarians

Who believes:
If Jill is doing what she wants to do, then she definitely has free will

Soft determinists

Who believes:
Determinism is true?

Hard Determinists & Soft determinists

Who believes:
Every event has a cause that inevitably resulted in that event?

Hard Determinists & Soft Determinists

Who believes:
A murderer became a murderer because of his childhood abuse?

Hard Determinists & Soft Determinists

Who believes:
The definition (the meaning) of ‘free will’ is ‘the ability to take many future paths’?

Hard Determinists & Libertarians

Who believes:
Human beings actually have the ability to take many future paths?

Libertarians

Who believes:
These two sentences could, in theory, both be true at the same time:
- Humans have free will
- Every event has a cause

Soft determinists

Who believes:
The murderer has free will?

Libertarians and Soft determinists

Who believes:
Given his childhood abuse, it was inevitable that Jack would be a murderer.

Hard determinists and Soft determinists