Philosophy comparing libertarianism, compatibilism, and...

Comparing Determinism, Compatibilism, and Libertarianism Patrick C Smith Ivy Tech Community College The question that the textbook poses at the very beginning of chapter four is, â€Å"Are you Free† (Chaffee, 2013, p. 172)? Most people would look at this question as pretty cut and dry and would answer a resounding yes. Philosophically speaking, it is not that easy of an answer. You have to be willing to look at the question with an open mind, and ask yourself if the choices you make are truly free or if they are governed by forces outside of your control. In the following paper I intend to compare and contrast the three major philosophical viewpoints regarding this question, and come to a†¦show more content†¦Determinists believe that these ideas are based on the illusion of freedom (Chaffee, 2013, p. 178). I thought that Baron d’Holbach summarized the determinists viewpoint when he said, â€Å"Man’s life is a line that nature commands him to describe upon the surface of the earth, without ever being able to swerve from it, even for an instant. He is born without his own consent; his organization does in nowise depend upon himself; his ideas come to him involuntarily; his habits are in the power of who cause him to contract them; he is unceasingly modified by causes, whether visible or concealed, over which he has no control, which necessarily regulate his mode of existence, give the hue to his way of thinking, and determine his manner of acting† (Chaffee, 2013, p. 178). One of the strengths of the determinist viewpoint is that it is hard to argue against. There are definite patterns and connections throughout the physical universe and the biological realm. There is no denying that fact. Just look at modern chemistry or how everything is made up of waves. Also, you can’t prove that you ever had more than one choice since there can only ever be one choice. In other words, once the moment is gone it is impossible to say that things could have been different since there is no going back. It is also hard to deny that some of our actions are a result of certain causes. You can always argue that something in your past affected your choices in the present.Show MoreRelatedThe True Nature Of Moral Responsibility936 Words   |  4 PagesThe theory that I find true to the true nature of moral responsibility and its relation to human freedom and determinism would be compatibilism. Compatibilism is the claim that we are both determined and that we ha ve moral responsibility (Lawhead 120). It offers a solution to the free will problem. Free will goes along with determinism because of the moral responsibility and it is incompatibility between each other. We are still held responsible for our voluntary actions and our actions are stillRead MoreDeterminism, Compatibilism And Libertarianism1955 Words   |  8 Pagesyears, in which philosophers have disagreed on the conclusion. There are several perspectives on this issue, the most popular of which are determinism, compatibilism and libertarianism. By discussing the similarities and differences of these perspectives, as well as the strengths and weaknesses, we can determine which of these is most accurate. Determinism is â€Å"the view that every event, including human actions, is brought about by previous events in accordance with universal causal laws that governRead MoreAre We Really Free?1634 Words   |  7 Pagesa closed mind. I will be comparing and contrasting the three points that support the question are we free, and end with what I feel is the best viewpoint. Each point will be a summary of what I feel each mean to human rights. The first point I will discuss is determinism, which also has an extreme form called â€Å"hard determinism† (Chaffee, 2013, p. 173). Vilhauer states that â€Å"hard determinists hold that determinism and moral responsibility are incompatible, that determinism is true for all our actionsRead MoreHume Liberty and Necessity1026 Words   |  5 PagesModern Philosophy (PHL 3200) Paper 1 Freedom, eh? In Section 8 of Hume’s Enquiry titled â€Å"Of Liberty and Necessity†, Hume wants to discuss what liberty and necessity mean and whether or not they can be compatible with each other. This is all really a discussion of Hume’s view of free will and determinism, and how they can be easily reconciled through compatibilism where for example both liberty and necessity are required for morality. He starts off by considering the idea of necessity and defines