An Argument For Free Will. As An Outset, We Should First

An Argument for Free Will As an outset, we should first get a clear understanding of what â€Å"free will† actually means. â€Å"A being has free will if given all other causal factors in the universe (genetic and environmental, physical and chemical†¦) it nevertheless possesses the ability to choose more than one thing† (Caplan, 1997) There are many different definitions of freedom, but the kind of freedom I want to address is one where an individual can do as he or she pleases even if bound by chains to the ground. This type of freedom is freedom of the mind from causal deterministic laws, the idea that every event is dictated by antecedent events and conditions together with the laws of nature. I think that the strongest argument for free will is†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Therefore, all our actions are pre-determined. †¢ Thus, there is no free will or moral responsibility. By this reasoning, free will does not exist and in proving that it does exist, we need to address this. We can argue this case by considering that determinism states that every step or change or decision is predetermined. By that reasoning, then nothing can ever get done. The domino at the end of the line is going to fall no matter what, so what is the point in doing anything. It is also important to note that â€Å"a definition of determinism is just that – a characterization of what things would have to be like if things were deterministic. It does not follow that the universe is actually deterministic† (Kane, 2007). For example, consider this: a creature is a centaur if it has the hindquarters of a horse and the torso of a man. Nothing about the definition of a centaur shows that these creatures exist in our universe. It simply tells us something about what sorts of things would count as centaurs. The same thing for the definition of determinism; determinism does not show that the universe is deterministic. It only describes a term. Determinism undermines two aspects of free will: (1) decisions are â€Å"up to you† and (2) the origins of your actions are outside of our control, by either God, decrees of fate, etcetera. These are two important aspects, but because determinism describes what would happen if the universe ran on determinism, not necessarily thatShow MoreRelatedCesar Freire s Pedagogy Of The Oppressed1084 Words   |  5 PagesFreire passionately presents his ideals about education through the scopes of these two educational styles. Pedagogy of the Oppressed starts off with an explanation that the focus of his analysis is the relationship between teachers and students. First, Freire believes that the majority of teachers today â€Å"talk about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable† (Paolo Freire). 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