Fate and Free Will

Philosophy

Thinking hard about concepts that science has not yet explained, such as Life and Death.

Fate and Free Will

A branch of Philosophy that explores the extent of human autonomy in life.

Determinism

The theory that all events, including human actions, are caused by preceding events.

Control by an Omnipotent Being

The belief that a divine entity manipulates decisions rather than merely being aware of them.

Libertarianism

The view that individuals have complete autonomy and their choices are not forced.

Leeway Freedom

The idea that while major life choices are predetermined, individuals can make minor choices.

Compatibilism

The belief that Fate and Free Will can coexist and work together.

Incompatibilism

The belief that Fate and Free Will cannot coexist and are mutually exclusive.

Argument

An ordered series of propositions where the conclusion follows from the premises.

Valid

A characteristic of an argument where the truth of the premises guarantees the truth of the conclusion.

Sound

An argument that is both valid and has true premises.

Evaluations

Criteria for assessing arguments, including Persuasive, Elegant, Concise, and Powerful.

Seeming

This is when something seems to be a very certain way.

X-phi

Simplified way to state visually Experimental Psychology.

Surface Freedom

This is the type of freedom that refers to the ability to always do whatever you want.

Deep Freedom

This is the type of freedom that allows the user to have complete control over their wills or desires.

Near-determinism

This is when the behavior of all middle-sized objects is determined for all practical purposes.

Fatalism

The belief that all events are predetermined and unavoidable, despite the illusion of choice.

Time indexed propositions

Statements whose truth-value remains constant over time, regardless of when they are evaluated.

Possibly

A symbol in philosophy indicating that something may occur or be true. (◇)

Necessity

A symbol in philosophy indicating that something must occur or be true. (□)

Not possible

A symbol in philosophy indicating that something cannot occur or be true. (~◇)

Law of the excluded middle

A principle stating that every proposition is either true or false, with no middle ground.

Truth-value

The attribute assigned to a proposition that indicates whether it is true or false.

Counterfactual

A conditional statement exploring what could have happened if circumstances were different, often framed as "If X had occurred, then Y would have occurred."

Claims and Futures

The understanding that statements about the future do not create reality; rather, they reflect the truth value of what is claimed.

Np

A proposition or statement that is not dependent on the choice of individuals.

Compatibilism

The philosophical view that free will and determinism are compatible.

Soft Compatibilism

Argues that free will exists even if determinism is true, focusing on internal motivations.

Hard Compatibilism

Asserts that determinism is true and that free will is an illusion, but moral responsibility still exists.

Event Compatibilism

Emphasizes that free actions are determined by prior events and conditions.

Agent Compatibilism

Focuses on the role of agents in making choices, regardless of determinism.

Soft Determinism

Another term for compatibilism, highlighting the compatibility of free will and determinism.

Libertarianism

A type of incompatibilism asserting that free will exists and determinism does not.

Hard Determinism

A type of incompatibilism asserting that determinism is true and free will does not exist.

Kane's Conditions for Freedom

The two conditions for being free are having the power to do what you want and having no constraints or impediments.

Example of Impediment

A heroin addict is not free due to a compulsion impediment.

Chain of Action/Desire

If an action follows immediately after a desire, the act is considered free.

Classical Compatibilists

Focus on the link between moral responsibility and determinism.

New Compatibilists

Argue that leeway is not important for freedom and determinism.

Conditional Statement

A logical structure expressed as "if this → then that."

Incompatibilism

The philosophical view that free will and determinism are incompatible.

Intuitive “7 Cases”

A key argument for Incompatibilism that presents scenarios illustrating the conflict between free will and determinism.

Consequence Argument

An argument for Incompatibilism that suggests if determinism is true, then individuals cannot act otherwise.

Antecedent

The "if" part of a conditional statement (premise) in logic.

Consequent

The "then" part of a conditional statement (conclusion) in logic.

Conditional Proof

A logical method where one assumes a premise P to derive a conclusion Q, then claims P→Q after dropping the assumption.

Transient

Affecting something beyond itself

Immanent

Operating within itself

Simple Indeterminists

Reasons aren’t causes; actions are uncaused

Pure Agent Causal Libertarians

Reasons are causes

Mixed Agent Causal Libertarians

Reasons and agents are both causes

Quasi Libertarian Event Causal Libertarians

Reasons determined by actions, but the reasons are undetermined

Fully Libertarian Event Causal Libertarians

Reasons cause but don’t determine actions, which are up to the agent