compatibilism

• compatibilism = scientific determinism is compatible with our experience of freedom

  • some aspects of human action are determined but at the same time we are morally responsible for our actions
• combatilists claim that the dispute between hard determinists + libertarians arises out of confusing terminology

  • compelled is not synonymous with caused
  • free is not synonymous with uncaused
• we are free when we act according to our wishes: freedom is the ability to do what we want
• compatibilists accept universal causation, but specify two types:

  • external causation = synonymous with compulsion - describes factors beyond our control which determine what we do
  • internal causation = synonymous with free will - describes our personality
• the key thinker for compatibilism is Hume
• compatibilists believe that all human actions are caused + when we say a person acted freely, we are not saying there was no cause, but rather they were not forced to do it
• evaluating compatibilism:

  • offers an agreeable account of moral freedom, but the complexities of determining factors on freedom make it difficult to draw a line
  • libertarians view the compatibilist understanding of freedom as defective - the idea of freedom as determined by our nature is not genuine freedom
  • criticised by hard determinists for failing to realise the extent to which human freedom is limited