free will-determinism

• free will 


  the belief that humans can reject biological and enviromental forces and are in control of their thoughts and behavior
• determinism 


  the idea that human behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external influences
• hard determinism 


  all human behaviour is caused by internal or external forces and free will is an illusion
• soft determinism 


  human behaviour is caused by internal or external factors however there is some room for free will
• types of determinism 


  biological determinism

  environmental determinism

  psychic determinism
• biological determinism


  the biological approach suggests that behaviour is caused by biological factors such as genes that we cannot control
• environmental determinism 


  skinner suggests behaviour is caused by conditioning (positive/negative reinforcement/punishment)
• psychic determinism


  Freud suggests behavior is a result of unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood
• practical value 


  P: strength of free will - practical

  E: children with a strong belief in hard determinism were at greater risk of developing depression

  E: people with an external locus of control were less optimistic

  L: therefore believing we have free will has a positive impact on human behaviour
• the law 


  P: limitation of determinism - legal system

  E: hard determinism not consistent with legal system

  E: legal system suggests that offenders have free will in comminting crimes

  L: therefore deterministic argumuments do not work in real life