Take Home Exam Philosophy of Mind (3 Pages minimum, Single Spaced, 12 pt font)

4/6/171Introduction to PhilosophyFreewill and DeterminismThe Problem of Freewill•We think we have freewillØwe can determine for ourselves what we do, and if we determine for one course of action, we could have determined for another course as well.•We think our course of action is determined by our beliefs and desiresØIt is because we have these beliefs and desires that we act the way we do.ØCould we then have taken another course of action?•Our beliefs and desires themselves are brought about by other factors: the environment, my bodily make-up (which again is partly due to my genes, as well as to the environment), my past experienceØCould my beliefs and desires have been different than they are?Determinism and Indeterminism•An event is determined if the whole set of events prior to it and leading up to it make it necessarythat it should happen.•An event is not determined if the whole set of events prior to it and leading up to it do not make it necessary that it should happen (though perhaps probable) > an alternative event is possible too.•Determinism: every event is determined.•Indeterminism: at least some events are not determined.Freewill and Determinism•It may seemthat determinism robs us from freewill:1.If our beliefs and desires determine our action, we could not have done otherwise.2.If our beliefs and desires are themselves determined by prior events leading up to them, then our beliefs and desires could not have been otherwise.3.Therefore, if (1) and (2) are true, we do not have free will.•If you accept this argument, then you accept Incompatibilism: it is impossible that both determinism –as in (1) and (2) –and freewill are true.•If you reject this argument, you may accept compatibilism: it is possible that both determinism –as in (1) and (2) –and freewill are true. 4/6/172Libertarianism•Libertarianism says that Determinismis false.ØIt is the result of:-Incompatibilism-The belief that we have freewill.•One argument for Libertarianism:On the basis of our inner experience we know that when we deliberate and decide for a course of action, and do this, we are determining ourselves what our beliefs and desires are going to beØIf our deliberations had been different, we would have had other beliefs and desires, and thus done something elseØOur deliberations could have been different in exactly the same circumstances.Hard Determinism•Hard Determinism says that we do not have freewill.ØIt is the result of:-Incompatibilism-Determinism.•Arguments for Hard Determinism typically argue that freewill is an illusion we can do withoutØOur inner experience that we are free to determine our beliefs and desires is misleading, just as in so many other cases.Soft Determinism•Soft Determinism says that determinism may be true, but that we still have freewillØIt is the result of:-Determinism-Compatibilism> the argument for incompatibilismis rejected.•There are three strategies for rejecting the incompatibilistargument:1.There is freewill if one could have done otherwise if one had wanted (Hume)2.There is freewill if the desires on which we act are the desires we want to have (Frankfurt)3.There is freewill if the beliefs and desires on which we act are formed properly, in accordance with how they should come about if we function well (Stampeand Gibson) > almost: if we are rational Considering Compatibilist Arguments•The difference between 1., 2. and 3. is:1.says that any set of beliefs and desires which determines our action is compatible with freewillØObjection: also someone who is ‘possessed’ has beliefs and desires, but seems not free2.says that only desires which you yourself would want to have are compatible with freewillØObjection: perhaps your desire to have other desires than you actually have is a sign of being ‘possessed’ and thus not free3.says that only beliefs and desires which a well-functioning human being has are compatible with freewillØObjection: it seems possible to act rationally and freely in such a way that one destroys one’s own well-functioning: can that be a case of well-functioning? 4/6/173Linking Freewill and Philosophy of Mind•One should draw a distinction between two kinds of determinism:a.Beliefs and desires determining our actions andbeliefs and desires being determined ‘in response to’ the environment and by how we are in terms of beliefs and desires and rationalityetc. > all at the mental levelb.Beliefs and desires determining our actions andbeliefs and desires being determined through our bodily statesØDeterminism of kind b. is far more of a problem than determinism of kind a. –because if one’s beliefs and desires are determined by bodily states, then compatibilist options seem more difficultØThe Identity Theory and also both types of Behaviorism lead to b.ØDualism and Functionalism do not lead to b., Dualism not because mind and body are completely separated from each other, Functionalism not because there are, at least partly, no type-connections between bodily states and mental states.