THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• PHILOSOPHICAL MEANING OF FREEDOM

Capacity to choose freedom Exercise of the
will Freedom IS / IS NOT available
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• THE DENIAL OF FREEDOM

Hard determinism Everything is governed by
causal laws Determinism seems to work in the
natural world, so why not in the mind?
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• THE DENIAL OF FREEDOM

Problems with hard determinism Laws of nature
not all that deterministic Science makes many
conclusions based on probability
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• PREDESTINATION

God has decided every event in our lives! Or
maybe just the big ones,like our final destiny.
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• PREDESTINATION

Predestination is not strong in Judaism and
Eastern religions. Islam - inshallah (if God
wills).
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• PREDESTINATION

Christianity has two positions 1. Weak
predestination - God knows in advance how WE will
act and so conducts HIMSELF accordingly.
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• PREDESTINATION

2. Strong predestination - God knows what HE
wants and does what is needed to make it so.
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• FATALISM

Everything is up to fate (or Fate) - we are NOT
in control. The idea of Fate was big in Greek and
Roman thought.
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• INDETERMINISM

Determinism rejected Personal freedom and
responsibility Too much unexpected in the world
for everything to be determined
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• INDETERMINISM

Lots of loose play in the universe The
possibilities exceed the actualities in many
situations A mans reach must exceed his grasp,
or whats a heaven for?
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• INDETERMINISM

Indeterminism can be logical Choices CAN be
made Sorrow CAN be felt
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• SELF-DETERMINATION

A third and middle way Accepts that we have many
strong influences in our lives, but we can still
make choices.
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• CONCLUSIONS

1. The immediate consciousness of freedom - we
believe we are free! We may not know why we
choose, or we may choose the easiest, but we are
still free to CHOOSE.
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• CONCLUSIONS

2. The sense of personal responsibility - we
feel we ought we feel we must we feel guilty if
we do not.
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• CONCLUSIONS

3. Moral judgments on human conduct and
character - we make judgments because we believe
people are FREE to change.
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THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

• CONCLUSIONS

4. The fact of deliberation - why think it over
if it makes no difference? ONLY PEOPLE are
self-conscious, and that gives us freedom to
choose.