The Consequences of Determinism
- Created by: Marrino13
- Created on: 25-03-15 11:11
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- The consequences of determinism
- If all actions are pre-determined, then moral responsibility is eradicated
- So human decisions are entirely predictable based on genes, environment and gender.
- Therefore humans are incapable of rational decision making
- The concept that humans are free to choose is an illusion.
- As a result, moral responsibility becomes illusory
- The concept that humans are free to choose is an illusion.
- Therefore humans are incapable of rational decision making
- Therefore humans are incapable of rational decision making
- The concept that humans are free to choose is an illusion.
- As a result, moral responsibility becomes illusory
- The concept that humans are free to choose is an illusion.
- So human decisions are entirely predictable based on genes, environment and gender.
- Necessary truths
- These truths are analytically true, and there is no possibility that the validity of this statement will alter in the future.
- A necessary truth MUST be true. The statement will contain a logical necessity
- E.g. All widows are women
- Necessary truths
- These truths are analytically true, and there is no possibility that the validity of this statement will alter in the future.
- A necessary truth MUST be true. The statement will contain a logical necessity
- E.g. All widows are women
- E.g. All widows are women
- A necessary truth MUST be true. The statement will contain a logical necessity
- These truths are analytically true, and there is no possibility that the validity of this statement will alter in the future.
- Necessary truths
- E.g. All widows are women
- A necessary truth MUST be true. The statement will contain a logical necessity
- These truths are analytically true, and there is no possibility that the validity of this statement will alter in the future.
- Contingent truths
- These truths may be true OR false. The truth depends upon the circumstance
- A truth that has been true in the past or is true in the present, but there is no guarantee that it will be true in the future.
- E.g. All women are widows
- Contingent truths
- These truths may be true OR false. The truth depends upon the circumstance
- A truth that has been true in the past or is true in the present, but there is no guarantee that it will be true in the future.
- E.g. All women are widows
- This may have been the case in a town where all husbands died at war, or it may be true in a widows gathering club.
- BUT this is not a statement which we can guarantee will be true forever.
- BUT this is not a statement which we can guarantee will be true forever.
- This may have been the case in a town where all husbands died at war, or it may be true in a widows gathering club.
- E.g. All women are widows
- A truth that has been true in the past or is true in the present, but there is no guarantee that it will be true in the future.
- These truths may be true OR false. The truth depends upon the circumstance
- This may have been the case in a town where all husbands died at war, or it may be true in a widows gathering club.
- BUT this is not a statement which we can guarantee will be true forever.
- BUT this is not a statement which we can guarantee will be true forever.
- Contingent truths
- E.g. All women are widows
- A truth that has been true in the past or is true in the present, but there is no guarantee that it will be true in the future.
- These truths may be true OR false. The truth depends upon the circumstance
- Importance of necessary and contingent
- Determinists treat the factors which curtail free will as necessary truths.
- E.g. Rose West's abuse as a child meant that her personality was destined to be an abuser.
- The problem is that statements regarding the influence of a person's background upon their behaviour are contingent
- Importance of necessary and contingent
- Determinists treat the factors which curtail free will as necessary truths.
- E.g. Rose West's abuse as a child meant that her personality was destined to be an abuser.
- The problem is that statements regarding the influence of a person's background upon their behaviour are contingent
- This may be the case for one incident in life, but this is not always the case.
- The person's background MAY NOT affect their behaviour in a particular way
- E.g. Rose West's siblings/ children didn't let their background affect their behaviour.
- The person's background MAY NOT affect their behaviour in a particular way
- This may be the case for one incident in life, but this is not always the case.
- The problem is that statements regarding the influence of a person's background upon their behaviour are contingent
- E.g. Rose West's abuse as a child meant that her personality was destined to be an abuser.
- Determinists treat the factors which curtail free will as necessary truths.
- This may be the case for one incident in life, but this is not always the case.
- The person's background MAY NOT affect their behaviour in a particular way
- E.g. Rose West's siblings/ children didn't let their background affect their behaviour.
- The person's background MAY NOT affect their behaviour in a particular way
- Importance of necessary and contingent
- The problem is that statements regarding the influence of a person's background upon their behaviour are contingent
- E.g. Rose West's abuse as a child meant that her personality was destined to be an abuser.
- Determinists treat the factors which curtail free will as necessary truths.
- Chaos Theory
- Hard determinists rely on the word being ENTIRELY predictable
- However, recent development in quantum physics suggests a possible randomness in the universe
- At best, we can only discuss the probability of an event
- However, recent development in quantum physics suggests a possible randomness in the universe
- This theory proposes that there Is an apparent random nature to the universe within a determinist system
- Not due to a lack in laws, but to un-measurable variations in the initial conditions.
- This affects the outcome of an event.
- Explains Leopold and Loeb as an anomaly in the mechanistic world of determinism
- Not due to a lack in laws, but to un-measurable variations in the initial conditions.
- Hard determinists rely on the word being ENTIRELY predictable
- If all actions are pre-determined, then moral responsibility is eradicated
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