Libertarianism

Libertarianism

1. Inderterminism: Things happen randomly. Not libertarianism, self determination is needed for real free will - power of free choice to control which actions we perform.

   • Randomness destroys importance of human agency. E.g. reach for a hammer - clap of thunder - i fall knock over my brother who then trips and pours scalding water over mum who then screams and gives next door a heart attack
     • Deliberate decision missing - no one responsible and no one has control; life not always like this
   • Libertarianism does not deny causal chain nor advocate randomness. Claims that exercise of reason helps us to escape from passive motivation e.g. desire
   • Random events - deliberate actions
     • Hume said if anyone can find a cause without a necessary connection to its effect grant libertarianism true - because without causal necessity have no concept of causation

2. Dualism - Descartes

   • Body and mind are seperate, so human decision making would be outside natural order of cause and effcect because not physical
     • Bodies are material machines and, and mind immaterial so free from causal laws
     • Acts of willing are free - 'power of the will..we are able to do or not to do the same thing'
   • Criticisms
     • Problems of interaction - if volition takes place in mental realm how does it communicate with physical body? spirit affect matter? Defy laws of science
       • How can something non physical cause something physical? To move muscles - neurones fire - chemicals move between neurones - anything physical takes energy. Since will not physical no physical enerfy to move chemicals - breaks law of conservation of energy - creating new energy
     • How do you know which mind is attached to which body? More than one mind to be attached to a body? or minds to swap?
   • Judgement - intention - volition - act

3. Freewill is when it is in my power to act in any number of different ways and i was able to reason over my decisions and exercise control over my desires

4. Quantum physics suggests at the level of small atomic particles - motion of particles random

   • But scientists say that causal laws at macro level (large scale) are deterministic - so determinism true

5. Chance: 1) coincidence, 2) ignorance 3) probability

6. Sartre

   • Consciousness determines life - although we operate in a set of conditions we have a choice in how we interpret and respond to the conditions
     • I choose how to see my past - so it cannot determine my future
   • Detach ourselves from the present, through deliberation and look for reasons instead of causes. Continually conscious of possibilities
     • Actions reveal desires, desires do not determine actions - freedom is desiring what i do.
   • Criticisms
     • What if i am not even aware i have a choice? E.g. child may not even be aware that disobeying parents is an option. Precondition of freedom is awareness of alternatives - strong social conditioning or limited resources awareness not exist
     • Awareness of possibilities does not provide realistic choices, sartre sai d' there is always the possibility that the coward will give up cowardice'- probability will not translate into real choice
   • 'Man is condemned to be free'
     • No human nature to fall back on - we alone are responsible for our actions - create ourselves. Only we can solve our dilemmas -FREE

7. People feel free

   • No - tumour, Patricia Churchland or drug addict - feel free but not really. ILLUSION