PHI 1103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Materialism, Psychological Determinism, Heredity
18 Apr 2016
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Determinism: universe is determined, free will is impossible. Libertarianism: universe is not determined, free will is possible. Compaibilism: determinism is compaible with free will. Hard determinism (determinism: any acions that we take are determined by our geneics, heredity and environment, everything is in nature including human mind, is governed by physical laws. Founded upon the materialist/physicalist theory of mind and body: since our behaviours are determined, we have no moral choices (no free will) thus we have no responsibility either. Natural sciences describe nature, of which humans are a part, in terms of naturalisic/determinisic laws. Do not contend that all our acions are free, only some of them are. The case for determinism: baron d"holbach: 1723-1789, prominent intellectual igure in the french enlightenment, developed a determinisic and materialisic metaphysics which grounded his polemics against organized religion, self proclaimed atheist, enlightenment. Holbach"s mechanisic materialism: the universe is made of mater and moion.
