LIBERTARIANISM

What is libertarianism?

An incompatibilist approach which argues determinism is false and humans are free to make moral decisions

Philosophical libertarianism

Sartre

Who was Jean-Paul Sartre?

A 20th century existentialist who argued ‘existence precedes essence’, meaning humans begin to exist before gaining a purpose

What example does he use?

A paper knife that was designed with the purpose prior to manufacture, contrasting humans

What does Sartre argues is the flaw in Determinism?

Objectifies individuals, ignoring the facticity of human lives that beings have not chosen

What 2 beings does he distinguish between?

Etre-en-soir (a being in itself)& etre-pour-soir (a being for itself)

Why are humans pour-soir?

Because human identity is not bound up by a fixed label and individuals have subjective experiences, unlike objects

However, Sartre claims…

many individuals act in bad faith; this means that they refuse to accept their free will

What analogy does he use?

A waiter who acts in a pretentious way; he is lying to himself because he is free to leave the restaurant whenever he desires but living in bad faith is a less scary approach to life

Sartre asserts…

humans do not have a fixed nature that determines one’s actions but instead attain unlimited possibilities and must make authentic choices as this creates their essence

Scientific libertarianism

Sirigu

Who was Angela Sirigu?

A neuroscientist who led a team repeating Libet’s experiments to discover the origins of a willed action

What did her study involve?

Patients with a damaged parietal cortex which meant there was no interval between the awareness of making a decision and performing the action

What did they later do?

Stimulated the parietal cortex through electrical currents which caused complex movements that the patients had no prior decision making process or an awareness of what they had performed

What happened when the electrical current was increased?

They reported a desire to move

What did they then conclude?

The parietal cortex makes predictions about future movements & the premotor cortex fulfils these movements so the desire to move must derive from the parietal cortex

How does this research support libertarianism?

Identified the area of the brain in which conscious decision making occurs & shows the experience of desiring a decision is real, not merely an illusion

Psychological libertarianism

Rogers

Who was Carl Rogers?

An American psychologist who rejected Freudian psychotherapy & argued the approach treated clients as objects rather than real individuals

What kind of approach did he take?

A more holistic approach in which he valued individuals as unique & free

In Rogers’ view…

everyone has an ‘ideal self’ which is the version of themselves that they wish they were & an ‘actual self’ which is how an individual is in reality due to their life experiences

A person whose two selves align…

are in a state of congruence which is easier to achieve when they receive unconditional positive regard

Rogers’ argues…

humans have an innate tendency to want to self-actualise, which is when they become open to new experiences and realise their true potential

For a client to self-actualise, Rogers claims a therapist must focus on three elements:

be attentive to the client with no emotional distance, communicate unconditional positive regard & express empathy

This will consequently…

make someone a fully functioning individual free from psychological or emotional restraints