The Metaphysical Problem Of Freedom Essay - 1474 Words

The metaphysical problem of freedom is it is a paradox. There are three theses regarding freedom, and all three theses are plausible, yet they cannot all be true. The thesis of freedom says some of our actions are free, and sometimes we have an option to choose differently. The thesis of causalism which states that every detail of every event is caused by previous events, in accordance with the laws of nature. Lastly the thesis of incompatibilism which says at most one of the theses of freedom and causalism is true. These theses have spurred many theories to try and solve the problem of freedom, I will be discussing three theories in particular; libertarianism, compatibilism, and hard causalism. I will explain these theories, and their differences later. In this paper I will argue that hard causalism is the best solution to the problem of freedom, due to the belief that free action does not exist. Causalism can be defined in a stricter sense by the theory of hard causalism. Hard causalist believes that the thesis of incompatibilism is true, and takes the side of causalism, rather than freedom. Hard causalism takes the view, that the state of the universe at any given moment is caused by the state of the universe at a previous time (Pereboom 444-445). Hard causalism states that all of our actions are wholly governed by the laws of nature, and therefore none of them is free. This means every detail of every event is caused by previous events, in accordance with the laws ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on Freedom and Determinism in Richard Taylor’s Metaphysics861 Words   |  4 PagesFreedom and Determinism in Richard Taylor’s Metaphysics Metaphysics, as discussed by Richard Taylor, can be defined as the effort to think clearly. In order to contemplate a metaphysical issue, we require data (the common beliefs that people hold about that issue). A metaphysical problem occurs when such data do not agree. To resolve the problem, a theory must be established which removes the conflict by either (a) reconciling the conflicting data, or (b) proving one set of data to be falseRead MoreFreedom in Leibniz’s Monadological System Essay1067 Words   |  5 Pages In The Monadology, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz creates a metaphysical system that attempts to explain the nature of the material world. Leibniz does not believe that the material world can be explained using mathematics and other scientific principals, so he develops a rational theory to give him the causal explanation that he needs. This system Leibniz creates, appeals to the sufficient reason that is God and the pre-established harmony of the monads that make up t he material world. Leibniz setsRead MoreKant And Kant s Metaphysical Theorizing1303 Words   |  6 PagesKant’s metaphysical theorizing was in large part focused on the matter of how synthetic a-priori judgements were possible. For Kant, the question of how synthetic a-priori judgements operated was central to understanding the nature of human thinking, and to enabling metaphysics. Previously Kant had been alerted to the writings of David Hume. Hume had effectively claimed that knowledge only came from analytic a-priori judgments or by synthetic a-posteriori. Hume criticized the notion of cause andRead MoreMoral Human Spiritual Values in Children1451 Words   |  6 Pagesprisons   is increasing   and still there is not enough   room for the criminals.   The number of psychiatric beds   is also increasing. What Went Wrong : One may ask,   despite so many achievements   in science and technology, why should we have so many problems in our society?   Could it be   that we have paid   most of our attention   to science and little   or no attention   to our moral and spiritual values?   Well , that is what we are going to discuss during this forum.       Our three Faculties : As youRead MoreThe Theory Of Free Will950 Words   |  4 Pagesneeded, as this will most likely make the society a flawless institution. Under these schemes of things, liberty is the tag of an ideal society, and every society must strive to partake of the norm. Skinner observes that humanity has a duty to enhance freedom as a societal norm in all societies. Accordingly, this is the first step in advancing the concept of free will as a societal embracement. Finally, within compatibilist ideologies, the idea of free will donate new certainties that reinforce old beliefsRead MoreThe Metaphysical Issue Of Free Will1368 Words   |  6 Pages Everyone believes himself or herself to possess the freedom of will. If we do not have free will, then that suggests that we lack any power or control over anything, therefore, nothing is up to us. This would impair our view and perception of our society, community and the world. The metaphysical issue of free will is if the initial conditions are f ixed and all the laws of nature are deterministic, then the resulting outcome that will happen thereafter is also fixed, because of the laws of natureRead More Wole Soyinkas Death and the Kings Horseman Essay1635 Words   |  7 Pagesthe play is placed in terms of two extremes, and the cultures must be considered one of those pairs. Suicide is no exception to this examination; it must be seen in the conflicting lights that Soyinka gives us: British vs. Yoruban, physical vs. metaphysical, personal vs. social; and an expression of failure vs. a form of redemption. In examining how the play divides suicide so completely through these lenses, we can better understand the actions of Elesin and Olunde.In the Yoruban world, it is clearRead MoreMorality via Kant and Hegel1712 Words   |  7 Pagesbeen as influential as Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) and his most trenchant critic, G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831). Kant’s deontological attempt to unearth this criterion rests on one of the most metaphysical and abstract explanations ever given for the common intuitions of morality (Scruton 2001, 73). With the metaphysical dual-ism claimed by his Transcendental Idealism as his cornerstone, Kant argued that Reason – to him a defining and immutable trait of human nature – allows for the derivation of formalRead MoreWole Soyinka: Death and the Kings Horseman1695 Words   |  7 Pagesthe play is placed in terms of two extremes, and the cultures must be considered one of those pairs. Suicide is no exception to this examination; it must be seen in the conflicting lights that Soyinka gives us: British vs. Yoruban, physical vs. metaphysical, personal vs. social; and an expression of failure vs. a form of redemption. In examining how the play divides suicide so completely through these lenses, we can better understand the actions of Elesin and Olunde.brbrIn the Yoruban world, itRead MoreDeterminism Vs. Free Will893 Words   |  4 Pagesas determinism.   There are various definitions of determinism available; but in this essay, I shall use the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy definition, which is ‘the metaphysical thesis that the facts of the past, in conjunction with the laws of nature, entail every truth about the future This idea presents a difficult problem for the concept of free will:  how can we make free choices if all our actions are determined by the facts of the past and the laws of nature?   A related but distinct question