Determinism, Compatiblism, and Libertarianism Research Paper

Determinism, Compatiblism, and Libertarianism - Research Paper ExampleI leave divide my paper into four main parts. Part one will be devoted to an analysis of determinism. I shall use Paul Holbachs version of this bureau. In contrast to part one, part two will take the libertarian position. Here I shall use Roderick Chisholms version. And part three will discuss the compatibilist view on plain will. In doing so, I shall use A. J. Ayers version. Finally, I will show the main strengths and weaknesses of each. I will conclude my paper by giving an explanation on why I call back compatibilism is the most feasible and pr comportical among all three. Determinism Everything Has A Cause Determinism is the view that rests on the assumption that everything has a cause. All doctrines of determinism imply that given the past and the laws of genius at any given time, there is only one possible future. Whatever happens is therefore inevitable (Kane 285). What does this imply? It simply impli es that we could non have chosen otherwise (Feinberg and Shafer-Landau 410). To illustrate this position further, I will explore Paul Holbachs version of hard-determinism. Holbach says that we are not free. further how does he argue for this position? The main claim of determinism is that whatever happens is determined by prior events (Sie 2). Holbach is a hard determinist. ... But if my action is determined by past events, then Im unable to act otherwise. Therefore, I dont ever act freely. One can argue that it is not the case that I dont act freely for I have my own motives, choices and I am not restrained. However, Holbach refutes this on the basis of the complexity of human conduct and the illusion of free theatrical (Holbach 463). Holbach argues, we only think we are free because we cannot explain the phenomena, but in principle, we can explain everything by explaining its causes (463). For instance, if I can explain my actions through the laws of character then we have no use for free will anymore. So if we discover the cause of a given phenomena, then it nullifies freedom. Therefore, we are not free. obdurate to determinism is the libertarian position. I shall discuss Chisholms version of libertarianism next. Libertarianism some of our actions are free Libertarianism argues that some events that happen are not determined by prior events. In defending freewill, Chisholm suggests We must not say that every event involved in the act is caused by some other event and we must not say that the act is something that is not caused at all. The possibility that remains, therefore, is this We should say that at least one of the events that are involved in the act is caused, not by any other events, but by something else instead. And this something else can only be the agentthe man (440). Given Chisholms suggestion, I can say that my action-A is free if and only if I am the cause of A and that I could have done another action-B other than A. If determinism is true, I could not have done B. But I could have done B because I am the cause of my actions. My decision to do A caused me to perform A,