DETERMINISM & FREE WILL

Philosophical debates about free will and determinism are arguably some of the most popular and discussed problems in the world of philosophy. Determinism and free will philosophers debate if humans actually have the freedom of choice and if all actions are predetermined. This topic not only ties into ethics, but also includes law, religion, science (specifically neuroscience), psychology, and much more. Key philosophers who have significantly contributed to this discussion are René Descartes, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Thomas Hobbes.

To start off with definitions, determinism is the view that all events, including human actions, are predetermined by prior events and factors. It argues that under the circumstance that one would know every fact about the universe, that individual would be able to predict the future perfectly. This implies that free will is an illusion. Free will is defined as the belief that humans can make genuine choices that are not predetermined.

Now, let’s dive into popular experiments and examples. One example is Laplace’s Demon, which, as discussed earlier, assumes that if an entity knew every single fact in the universe, it would be capable of predicting the future. Many neuroscience studies and experiments are conducted that reveal that brain activity is detected before a person actually believes that they have made a decision, proving that decisions are generally predetermined before an individual is actually aware that they have made a choice.

Specifically considering determinism, there are a variety of arguments, so we’ll talk about the main ones. Determinism believes that genetics and an individual’s environment shapes choices and that brains make a decision before we are consciously aware of it. It also argues that free will is just a feeling that helps us, but, in reality, it doesn’t actually exist. Determinism has many implications; a popular one is that the pre-determinability of human actions shows that the lack of free will implies a lack of freedom altogether.

Now, let’s look at core arguments for free will. Free will philosophers argue that the human ability to be creative and unpredictability of their actions shows freedom and free will. While we may know many facts, there’s always a chance that the outcome may not be what we assume. It also brings the science of quantum mechanics as an analogy and shows how uncertainty and randomness exists. Many religions also utilize free will, especially ones that discuss sin and salvation, both of which are determined by the choice of an individual.