Human Freedom and the Self
Quick Summary
The paper "Human Freedom and the Self" by Roderick Chisholm explores the philosophical problem of reconciling the belief in human free will with the concept of determinism. This ancient puzzle questions how individuals can be held morally responsible for their actions if those actions are causally predetermined by prior events and circumstances.12
Chisholm, a proponent of libertarianism, argued for "agent-causation," suggesting that free actions are caused by the agents themselves, rather than by preceding events. This view posits that individuals have a genuine capacity to choose independently of deterministic chains, thereby preserving moral responsibility. However, this concept faces the "intelligibility objection," questioning how an uncaused cause can be understood or controlled.1
The debate also includes compatibilism, which argues that free will and determinism can coexist, often by redefining free will as the ability to act according to one's desires, even if those desires are determined.12
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