Strawson on Free Will Summary PDF

Preview

Summary

Overview on Strawson's arguments and his views on freedom and free will. In depth look at his basic argument and how to combat the opposing views...

Description

Are We Free and Do We Have Free Will?! Strawson’s Arguments:!

Strawson’s Basic Argument states three things:

- nothing can be Causa Sui (the cause of itself)! - To be ultimately responsible for ones actions, one would have to be Causa Sui, at least in certain mental aspects !

- therefore, no one can be ultimately morally responsible ! Basic Argument Explained: "

You do what you do because of the way we are made. For example, behind my

intentional action there is CPM (character, personality, and motivational structure) to drive that action ! "

To be truly morally responsible for what you do, you must be truly responsible

for the way you are- in critical mental aspects, in which we are not as we do not have control over who we are when we are born. For example, if I had no part in forming myself to give this character, then I cannot be responsible for getting the credit or the consequence. (If I give a homeless man money, I cannot take the credit for it because I am not responsible for what I do- the same thing goes for if I do something bad, I cannot be blamed for it because I am not morally responsible for what I do) So, if my character is given to me from culture or borrowed by agency, then I am not responsible for my character, therefore I am not responsible for my actions. !

Are We Free? "

Yes, kind of. Compatibilism says that yes, we do because our life scripts has

been written as long as we are apart of the cause in the cause effects in our lives. ! "

No, we are not free because of physics and providence (God) who knows our

lives and our actions before we do. ! "

Yes, due to libertarian freedom which says that free will requires the ability to

take agent in more than one course of action. !

Strawson’s Argument on Freedom: Practically, Strawson says “no” we don’t have freedom which is seen in his

"

basic argument. For example, if you have experienced trauma, it cannot be used an excuse to commit evil because there’s so many things that we could do than turn to evilness. ! Strawson suggests that say we assume we control our environment, then we had to make a choice to control our environment, and that choice comes from CPM which also comes from a presupposed choice… and it goes on and on, therefore he states that:! "

choice presupposes CPM!

"

to be responsible for our actions, you have to be responsible for CPM$

Reductio ad absurdum (reduce it to absurdity)

- In a debate, I tell the other person “fine, if your view is right, here is the absurd consequence that would follow” !

- So if I can come up with an absurd consequence that would follow their view, then I have proven their view to be false!

- This applies to Strawsons view because his absurd consequence to the idea that we control our actions is an infinite regress that would last forever !...