free will vs determinism Flashcards
1
Q
//what is free will?
A
- humans are self-determining and free to choose their own thoughts and actions
- implies able to reject biological biological + external forces
- we are in control of thoughts/behaviour
2
Q
what is determinism?
A
- free will has no place in explaining behaviour
- individuals behaviour shaped by internal + external forces
- hard
- soft
3
Q
what is hard determinism?
A
- everything we think is always caused by internal/external forces
- never conscious choices
4
Q
what is soft determinism?
A
- events can be determined by external forces
- all events incl human behaviour have causes
- and conscious choices determines behaviour
5
Q
what are the types of determinism?
A
- psychic
- environmental
- biological
6
Q
what is psychic determinism and its approaches?
A
- behaviour is determined by unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood we can’t control
- cognitive approach - soft- schema influences thought but can be changed by therapy
- psychodynamic - hard - childhood affects our behaviour unconsciously
7
Q
what is biological determinism and its approaches?
A
- behaviour is caused by biological influences like genes that we cannot control
- biological approach - hard - only genes affect behaviour
8
Q
what is environmental determinism and its approaches?
A
- behaviour is caused by features of the environment like rewards and punishment that we cannot control
- result of conditioning
- behaviourist - hard - environment causes behaviour through association
- social learning theory - soft - environment can cause behaviour but we can choose role model
9
Q
evaluate free will vs determinism
A
-
10
Q
how does free will have practical value?
A
- thinking we can exercise free choice can improve our mental health
- roberts et al 2000 - adolescents who had strong belief in fatalism (lives decided by events outside of control)
- they were at greater risk of developing depression
- external>internal locus of control - less optimism
- even if don’t have free will - believing we do can impact behaviour + mind
11
Q
how are criminal acts an argument against determinism?
A
- if behaviour is determined =external forces + no control - criminals do not have control over their behaviour therefore should not be punished
- mobley 1981 argued born to kill due to his genes as family had disposition towards violence
- deterministic view would justify this behaviour + prevent him from accepting responsibility and preventing justice for victim
- determinist arguments don’t work in real-life
12
Q
what is support for biological determinism?
A
- libet et al 1983
- found motor regions of brain become active before a person registers conscious awareness of a decision
- ex. decision to move finger pre-determined action of brain
- strongly suggests that many responses are biologically determined
13
Q
how is free will not compatible with science?
A
- it cannot be TESTED, MEASURED or OBSERVED
- so behaviour is difficult to predict and casual laws cannot be established
