hard determinism

• hard determinism = we are not free, but we are fully determined by pre-existing physical causes

  • humans do not have genuine free will or ethical accountability
• philosophical determinism

  • the theory of universal causation is the belief that everything in the universe has a cause
  • the illusion of moral choice is a result of our ignorance of what causes these choices, leading us to believe they have no cause
  • John Locke's locked room analogy is an example of philosophical determinism
• John Locke's locked room analogy:

  • a man wakes up in a room + chooses to remain in that room
  • he never had a choice as the room as locked, but he thought he did have a choice
• phychological determinism

  • nature-nurture
  • our characters are determined by our upbringing + experiences
  • there are many influencing factors on human behaviour, such as: hereditary, society, culture + environment
• psychological determinism is closely associated with B.F. Skinner + his variation known as psychological behaviourism. this claims:

  • all behaviour is a product of genetic + environmental conditions
  • all human actions depend on the consequences of previous actions
• theological determinism

  • belief that the causal claim can be traced back to an uncaused causer (cosmological argument, Aquinas) + this is God
  • if God is omniscient + omnipotent, as suggested by Calvin, then we cannot have free will + our actions must be predetermined
• scientific determinism

  • science tells us that for every physical event there is a physical cause
  • if we consider the mind to be material activity in the brain, then our thoughts + desires are also pre-determined
• evaluation of philosophical determinism

  • everyone is equal as no one is responsible
  • no blame or praise for people

  BUT

  • no point in punishment as we have no responsibility for our actions, leading to less order in society
  • can't distinguish between good + bad people because they never choose how they're acting
  • God would seem to be in control based on the first cause argument, but what if there is no God?
• evaluation of psychological determinism

  • seems logical that our character is formed by upbringing
  • biological approach suggests that chemical reactions in the brain are responsible for our actions

  BUT

  • crimes can't be punished
  • all behaviour can be predicted, but actually those with mental conditions are not predictable
  • people who have had the same experiences won't always act the same so it isn't predetermined
• evaluation of theological determinism

  • Augustine said God's grace is needed to be moral (original sin)
  • allows for people to be punished

  BUT

  • although God predetermined our lives, the story of Adam + Eve suggests that we do still have free will
  • freedom is required to choose to follow God
• evaluation of scientific determinism

  • Chaos Theory: small things that are seemingly random can cause bigger things - this is the same idea that things in life are not random, but are caused by something
  • Gaia Theory: supports scientific determinism because it says nature controls all; the world changes + adapts (Darwinism)

  BUT

  • Heisenberg Theory: we cannot possibly understand it
• conclusions to hard determinism

  • there is no conclusive evidence to show this as a theory is either true or false
  • Libet: brain experiments suggested that the brain prepares to act well before we are conscious of the urge to move - this approach was denied by Libet himself, arguing the brain could only veto pre-conscious intentions
• four main strands of hard determinism:

  • philosophical
  • psychological
  • theological
  • scientific