C) The implications of libertarianism and free will

Implications of libertarianism on moral responsibility

• Libertarians believe a person's life is completely free from deterministic factors
• Therefore, if libertarianism is correct, each person must have complete control over their moral attitudes and actions
• There would be value in blaming people for immoral acts as it is within their free 'willed' control (partly why Sartre viewed free will as a curse for humanity- total moral responsibility)
• UK legal system supports this through 'rational choice theory' 
• Libertarianism appears to uphold the usefulness of normative ethics- can be seen as a useful guide to helping people freely choose the right course of action
• Normative ethics may be particularly useful when a person is ignorant of societies' moral norms as they may become amoral (lacking any moral sense) otherwise
• An individual needs to freely decide which normative ethic to follow- e.g. DCT or Act Utilitarianism

Implications of free will on religious belief

• The theory of free will questions God's omnipotence as it could illustrate he doesn't have the omnipotent power to carry out an eternal predestination plan for all of humanity
• This was potentially highlighted by Augustine who reacted angrily to Pelagius's free will theology as it reduced God's omnipotent nature
• Implication that an individual could then tell an omnipotent deity whether to give them salvation
• Sartre said "there is no God, so…