Topic 3: Free Will & Moral Responsibility

Determinism

The view that every event, including human actions, is caused by prior factors outside our control

Challenge of Determinism

If all actions are caused, then we could not have done otherwise and may not be genuinely free

Sociological Determinism

The claim that social forces and cultural conditioning determine our actions

Psychological Determinism

The idea that internal psychological states, motives, or drives determine our actions

Physical Determinism

The claim that physical laws and events determine everything that happens, including human actions

Free Will Problem

The tension between believing we choose freely and believing our choices are fully caused

Moral Incompatibilism

The view that if determinism is true, we cannot have free will or moral responsibility

Moral Compatibilism

The view that free will and moral responsibility are compatible with determinism

Hard Determinism

The belief that determinism is true and therefore free will is impossible

Soft Determinism

The belief that determinism is true but free will exists as long as actions are not constrained

Constraint Theory of Free Will

The soft determinist idea that we act freely when not forced or internally compelled

External Constraint

A factor like coercion or physical force that prevents free action

Internal Constraint

An internal condition like compulsion or addiction that undermines free action

Could Have Done Otherwise Principle

The hard determinist idea that free will requires the genuine ability to choose differently

Conceptual Analysis of Free Will

The idea that we must clarify what free will means before deciding if we have it

Moral Responsibility

The idea that individuals can be held accountable for their actions

Determinism and Responsibility Question

The problem of whether people can be blamed or praised if actions are fully caused

Compatibilist View of Responsibility

The claim that responsibility depends on acting voluntarily, not on having uncaused actions

Incompatibilist View of Responsibility

The claim that responsibility requires the ability to do otherwise, which determinism removes

Reasons Response Theory

The compatibilist idea that we are free when our actions follow from our reasons and values

Free Will Intuition

The common belief that we experience ourselves as choosing freely

Determinist Explanation of Experience

The idea that our sense of freedom is an illusion caused by ignorance of our causes

Responsibility Without Freedom Problem

The issue of whether society can punish or blame if no one has free will

Practical Consequences of Determinism

Determinism raises questions about punishment, praise, self

Hard Determinist Moral Implication

If no one could ever act differently, blame and praise may be unjustified

Compatibilist Moral Implication

We can still hold people responsible if their actions reflect who they are and were not coerced

Soft Determinism and Law

The idea that responsibility depends on voluntariness, not metaphysical freedom

Free Will Skepticism

The view that we lack free will but may still need practices like punishment for social protection

Your Free Will Position Question

The exam prompt asking you to defend whether you think we have free will and why

Determinism and Moral Responsibility Exam Question

The prompt asking whether moral responsibility survives if determinism is true