Et 4B Concepts of determinism

Determinism

The view that every event has a cause, thus we do not have free will

Hard Determinism

All human behaviour is caused by something external to us, so there are no free decisions.

Materialist, universal causation, incompatibilist

Incompatibilist

View that determinism and free will are incompatible

Materialist

The only thing that exists is matter

Universal causation

Every event proceeds from another without exception

What school of determinism does John Locke belong to?

Hard philosophical determinism

Describe the views of John Locke

1. Free will is an illusion

We may think we have free will, because we are ignorant of the causes of our actions.

2. Requirements of free will:

The power of thought; the ability to act according to thoughts

3. Man in locked room

A man is carried, asleep, into a room, which is locked. When he wakes up, he sees a person with whom he wishes to speak, so decides to stay. He thinks he is free. However, should he have chosen to leave, he would not have been able to. This demonstrates that free will is an illusion.

4. Freedom to will what we will

Here, Locke is questioning why we have particular desires. To be truly free, we should be able to choose what we want, but this is not the case. Our will is determined by another will, which is determined by another and so on. This is a logical regress of wills. If it leads back to a first cause, then this is what controls the man, and he is not free. Locke claims that our actions are preceded by wills, which eventually come from a desire for pleasure and to not be uncomfortable.

Define Dennett’s‘genetic fixity’

Human behaviour is caused by an individual’s genes.

Describe biological hard determinism

• All human behaviour is caused by our genes.

• Genes have been identified which are responsible for temperament, sexuality, mental health etc.

• Certain genes need to be activated by something in a person’s environment e.g. trauma.

• Either way, this is external to the individual.

• Dennett’s genetic fixity

2 key scholars for psychological hard determinism

Pavlov(’s dogs) and Skinner(‘s Operant Conditioning)

Describe psychological hard determinism

Classical conditioning = training a reaction through association

Pavlov practiced this with dogs and bells

Operant conditioning = controlling behaviour through reward and punishment

Skinner connected this to human behaviour. He suggested all human behaviour comes from Operant Conditioning.

Therefore all behaviour is determined.

Define soft determinism

AKA compatibilism, free will and determinism can be accepted simultaneously. We possess the liberty of spontaneity - ability to act as we choose without constraint

Name 2 key scholars for soft determinism

Thomas Hobbes - Internal and external causes
A.J. Ayer - Caused and forced acts

Explain Hobbes’ soft determinism

• Similar to Hard Determinism - all internal causes (biology, psychology) are determined.

• We have no choice but to want the things we do

• Sometimes we are free from external causes

• If we will something due to determined internal causes, and are able to carry it out without an external cause stopping us, that external act is free.

Freedom does not mean uncaused. It means free from constraint.

Give an example of Hobbes’ soft determinism

1. A man is thrown from a boat due to the storm. He is not free, he did not will this.

2. A man chooses to jump from the boat due to fear it will sink. His action is caused by the fear and flight instinct. His action is free because he was able to carry it out unconstrained.

Explain Ayer’s Soft Determinism

Caused and forced acts

There are two options:

• Acts are uncaused, completely arbitrary, random accidents. Not free

• Acts are caused → determinism

Free will should not be contrasted with determinism, but with constraint. All acts must be caused, but a forced or constrained act occurs regardless of will and resolve. A free act is caused by the will of the agent.

So long as there is

• Choice in how to act

• Ability to act according to desires

One is not constrained → one is free

Causation merely provides an explanation

Explain Ayer’s kleptomaniac

The kleptomaniac steals even if he does not wish to. The thief steals because he is hungry and needs money. The actions of the former are constrained, while the latter is free, although both are caused by internal / external factors.