Scientific Determinism

Question 1

Universal causation

Answer 1

Belief all human actions and choices have a last cause, leading to the conc that all events that happen are determined by unbreakable chain of past causes

Question 2

Scientific determinism

Answer 2

Form of hard determinism
All events in universe are determined by events so no free will

Everything in mind det. By bing bang - totality of causes that are etching their way out in world today
Totality of causes could go backwards or forwards - wouldn’t matter
Principle of cause and effect still applies
An omnipotent/omniscient mind would know totality of these causes and understand how they work - physical equations are deterministic = governs everything

Question 3

Biological determinism

Answer 3

Observes all human traits have a physical nature and can be accounted for in a persons DNA
Genoese that code for depression, aggression, sexuality etc if we know a persons Genoese, their behaviour could be predictable not free
At its extreme, moral agents are reduced to no more than robotic robots, programmed by their DNA

Question 4

Avoiding scientific determinism

Answer 4

Can be avoided if laws of nature are probabilistic
E.g. Pluto no longer considered a planet
Science generally operates by experiments, evidence and facts - see best interpretation. Have to recognise our scientific theories could be wrong
Probable but not certain
Hostrpy shows this - newer theories replace older theories as our knowledge inc. some laws of nature could be disregarded/replaced so scientific laws cannot be absolute truths

BUT just cause we dont know everything doesn’t mean we aren’t determined by cause and effect

Scientific det. Can be avoided if quantum world is indeterminate (random)
If it can be shown there’s entities that aren’t completely governed by laws of nature, could reject scientific determinism
Quantum particles are random (not subject to cause and effect) - opens door for free will, quantum physics challenges scientific laws
Our assumptions about sub- atomic particles is wrong (unpredictable) so since we are made of them , we could be free

Question 5

Evaluation

Answer 5

STRENGTHS:

Support from science and empiricism
We’re part of laws of nature so clearly subject to causal laws
Logically easy to understand
Darwin - humanity dev. From evolution, humanity is genetic formula - not free

WEAKNESSES:

Science could be wrong as based on inductive reasoning, so it is probable not certain
At a quantum level physical behaviour is random and unpredictable
Morality doesn’t exist if we are determined