free will

<ethics, political philosophy, psychology, metaphysics> <libertarianism, determinism, causality, compatibilism> liberty of choice or self-determination. On the absolute or libertarian conception, free will is opposed absolutely to causal determination: given a situation, a person could simply have chosen and done otherwise than they did, unconditionally. Choices, on this conception, are uncaused or self-caused causings. On the compatibilist or hypothetical conception, free will is opposed to constraint; a person is free if they could have done otherwise if they'd so chosen; though our choices, like everything else, are effects of antecedent causes. On this conception free acts are not uncaused, they're just caused in the right way, by our own preferences and desires. Acting freely on this "soft determinist" view is doing what you want (because you want to). See also: determinism.

[Philosophical Glossary]

<2001-06-22>

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Nearby terms: Frankfurt school « freedom « free variable « free will » Frege Gottlob » frequently asked question » Fresison