Below, you’ll find some student responses to the short written questions from the quiz covering the Freedom/Determinism problem. Each of these students responded fully and accurately to the question and so received full credit. Though these examples don’t exhaust the possible correct responses, and some are a bit better than others, each is illustrative of the level of depth and quality that is expected of a satisfactory response. In some cases, I’ve taken the liberty to correct minor grammar and spelling errors. In some cases I’ve reproduced only the relevant portions of the students’ answer.
26. What are the basic similarities and differences between libertarianism and hard determinism?
Student A: Libertarianism and hard determinism are the same in that they agree on incompatibilism. If a person is predestined, then they cannot be held morally responsible for their actions. However, they disagree on whether people are actually predetermined. Determinists say that all actions were inevitable, based on preceding causes. Libertarians say that not all actions are inevitable and people are affected by causes but free to choose their actions. Therefore libertarians believe in moral responsibility.
Student B: Both of these views believe that if we are determined, that we cannot be morally responsible for our actions. Libertarianism believes that we are not totally determined, so we must be morally responsible for some of our actions. Hard determinism believes we are determined, so we cannot have moral responsibility and that we have no metaphysical freedom. While Libertarianism believes we do have metaphysical freedom.
Student C: The Libertarian and the Hard Determinist agree that if our choices are determined, then people are not morally responsible for their actions. They both agree with circumstantial freedom, but the Libertarian believes in metaphysical freedom (genuine free will) while the Hard Determinist does not. Neither agree with compatibilism—we are either free or determined. The Hard Determinist will state that every single event is a result of prior events, and though Libertarians agree to cause and effect [in most cases], they still think that [at least some of] our actions in effect are not written in stone.
27. What are the basic similarities and differences between hard determinism and compatibilism?
Student A: Compatibilists and determinists believe in predeterminism and that all actions are the inevitable result of deterministic causes. However, they disagree on the notion of moral responsibility. Hard Determinists say we have none, while Compatibilists claim we don’t need metaphysical freedom to be morally responsible, but only circumstantial freedom. Therefore, as long as no immediate external forces influence our actions, but only internal wants and desires influence our actions, then we are “free” and morally responsible.
Student B: Hard Determinism and Compatibilism agree that we are [completely] determined. However, Hard Determinism [states] that if we are determined, then we are not morally responsible for our actions while Compatibilism [states] that we are morally responsible for some of our actions. In other words, Hard Determinism and Compatibilism believe in universal causation and absolute determinism in our actions. While Compatibilism believes that we are determined, we are sometimes morally responsible for our actions, depending on external and internal causes (i.e. [when we have] circumstantial freedom.)
28. Short Essay (5 points): Choose one of the following options (A-C) and produce a brief (approximately one paragraph in length) reply on a separate piece of paper.
A. How would the determinist reply to each of the following criticisms? (a) "When I make a choice, I could have chosen differently." (b) "The fact that I have to deliberate before making a decision proves that I am not determined." (c) "It is impossible to predict another person's behavior."
Student A:
A. The Determinist would say that you could not have chosen differently. Every action in your life is simply the necessary result of all the preceding causes both internal and external. That made it inevitable you would make the choice you made. B. That fact that you deliberate before making a choice proves nothing, you are simply suspended like a magnet between two opposing causes. However you will always make the choice of the cause that is acting on you more strongly. C. It is only impossible to predict another person’s behavior because we are not witness to all the causes acting on them. If you know all the causes on a person, of course you could predict exactly what they were going to do because they could never act another way. For example the internal causes that would have made me answer prompt B is my desire to defend existentialism, however it was met by a stronger internal causes, my desire to answer the question I perceived to be the easiest, and therefore it was an inevitable action that I would answer prompt A.
Student B:
A. If human beings are not outside the bounds of nature, which is most probable, then it is reasonable to assume that a person’s actions are determined. To say that we are free because we can choose, is a position which cannot be supported. Choice is an illusion. An illusion that is determined to appear. B. The same applies to the counterargument of deliberation. Since we operate within the bounds of physics, our deliberation is only a step along an unbroken chain of causes. No counterargument that tries to show metaphysical freedom through physical action can hold up to the scrutiny of the laws of physics. C. To say a person’s actions are unpredictable is only supported by a lack of information. If all variables in human action were discovered, human action could be predicted.
B. What does Jean-Paul Sartre mean when he says "existence precedes essence"? Using his notions of "facticity" and "transcendence," explain why he thinks you are not determined even by facts over which you had no control (such as your gender).
Student A:
“Existence precedes essence” means that objects, ideas, or items exist before they have value assigned to them. For example, Sartre argues that life has no meaning until we assign a meaning to it. The life exists and then we assign an essence. The fact that you were born a certain gender [a matter of facticity] has no significance until you assign meaning to it [an act of transcendence]. It is bad faith to deny your freedom and responsibility based on which gender that you were born.
C. Discuss why compatibilists think that determinism and freedom are compatible. Explain how a libertarian would critique the compatibilist's notion of "free action."
No Students responded to this prompt.