Assess the strengths and weaknesses of libertarianism, free will and determinism for making ethical choices. A02

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Assess the strengths and weaknesses of libertarianism, free will and determinism for making ethical choices. A02

Advantages

  • LIBERTARIANSIM: allows for moral responsibility= our choices are down to our volition and what we choose to do by using our free will= we are able to make causally undetermined choices= no overriding power making out choices for us= TF able to make ethical choices with out inner moral self= making us responsible for our actions
  • FREE WILL: idea we have absolutely unbounded freedom when making choices and actions= strength= able to make ethical choices freely without internal or external factors diminishing out ability to do so= so because we have control over our choices= we able to choose NOT to make unethical decisions
  • DETERMINISM: makes society more compassionate= leading to more ethical choices being made= brings about awareness of mental health issues & some ppl's social background= warrior gene, psychopathy, Leopold & Loeb, Ian Brady & Mirah Hindley, Waldroup= judge not charge him for murder= voluntary manslaughter instead= ethical decision in this case= he was not responsible for his actions due to internal influences affecting his beh

Disadvantages

  • LIBERTARIANISM: does not consider internal & external influences enough that my affect our ability to make ethical choices freely= eg= psychopath has a ‘warrior gene’= unable to feel guilt & capable of murder=not an ethical action= psychopaths therefore do not seem to have an inner moral self. However, determinism does consider these influences= eg=  Clarence Darrow case= took deterministic approach = advocated fact that, Leopold &Loeb, “did not make themselves, their environment and biological factors made them”= prevented them from being charged with death penalty. TF= libertarianism cannot argue that everyone can be fully responsible for the ethical choices they make.
  • FREE WILL: our ability to know what is morally right & wrong =socialised into us all by society & parental upbringing=  preventing us from being truly free = we are taught what to think. Furthermore= concept of free will TF= cannot be applied to every individual= we all have a different view of morality, depending on how it has been taught to us= some people can commit violent acts believing that they are expressing their free will & making ethical choices= but they have been taught by parents who have a damaged view of morality themselves.
  • DETERMINISM:does not allow for personal responsibility= everything caused by prior events in cause & effect world= Francis Collins= "we are in a "genes r us" worlds where every aspect of human beh is beleived to be hard wired into our genes"= doesn't fit with idea of conscience & moral self= TF suggests we cannot make truly free ethical choices because out choices are determined by prior causations= we do not choose what we do

Evaluation

Soft determinism= best view to take when making ethical choices= acknowledges fact ppl possess free will & are autonomous moral agents who are able to make ethical decisions while also understanding that there are influences affecting humans that can shape the ethical choices they make

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