Determinism
The Challenge of Determinism
Ø Free will is the ability to make one choice over another.
Ø Free will is necessary to judge morality.
Ø If someone was forced to do evil or drugged etc. then you would judge their morality differently.
Ø If there is no free will (if the individual cannot truly choose their own actions) than there can be no right or wrong, no morality.
Two Types of Determinism
1. Hard Determinism
Ø All things and choices are determined by external factors, factors outside the individual.
Ø The circumstances of your birth, your family, your education, your upbringing, your genetics, etc. will determine your actions throughout life.
Ø The hard determinist can say that murder or theft is bad, be he/she cannot judge or punish those who commit the crime, because they are not truly responsible à They did not have free will to choose to do otherwise.
2. Soft Determinism
Ø All choices are determined by our attitudes, desires or inclinations (our character).
Ø You CAN judge morality, but people should only be responsible for actions that reflect their character.
Ø For example: If I have an arm spasm and hit you it is not my fault.
o If I hit you because you annoy me and that is how I deal with it, than IT is my fault.
Ethics Versus Morality
ReplyDeleteEthics: The theory of good and evil as applied to personal actions, decisions and relations.
• Comes from the Greek word ethos, which means character.
• Investigate character traits that are good and admirable, as well as traits that are bad and reprehensible.
• The study of practical wisdom about behavior.
Morality: Customary beliefs about how people should be and act. Belief in, and conformity, to principles of virtuous conduct.
• Comes from the Latin word mores, which means character, custom or habit.
• Ethics and morality are so closely linked that ethics is often called moral philosophy.
Four Challenges to Morality
1. Those who judge right from the start that ethical propositions are meaningless.
2. The relativist who argues that there are no common or universal moral obligations.
3. Those who believe that morality is evolving along with humanity.
4. The determinist who denies free will and therefore denies responsibility.
Say Word. Something New lol
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