Affiliation:
1. Institute of Philosophy, DCLPS , Heinrich Heine University , Universitätsstraße 1 , Geb. 24.52 , 40225 Düsseldorf , Germany
Abstract
Abstract
Claims about freedom and predestination are ubiquitous in movies, novels, and myths. These claims touch upon the philosophical problem of the compatibility of free will and determination. In order to make an informed judgment about whether these claims are true, it is helpful to know what philosophers have to say about free will. However, philosophical discussions are usually absent in popular culture. It is perhaps no wonder, since free will is a topic that has been discussed for millennia. Consequently, these discussions have become quite complicated and not easy to decipher. This essay is a popular introduction to these discussions, accessible to readers without former acquaintance with the topic. I provide references to other works for readers interested in knowing more. My aim is to show that while there are persuasive arguments against free will, there are no fewer persuasive replies to these arguments. Free will is a fascinating topic, and I hope that acquaintance with the relevant philosophical discussion will prove useful for those who wonder if anyone is free to create their own destiny.
Reference33 articles.
1. Browder, B. 2015. Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice, First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition ed. New York: Simon & Schuster.
2. Craig, W. L. 1988. The Problem of Divine Foreknowledge and Future Contingents from Aristotle to Suarez. New York: E.J. Brill, Leiden.
3. Dennett, D. 1984a. Elbow Room: The Varieties of Free Will Worth Wanting. Cambridge: MIT Press.
4. Dennett, D. 1984b. “I Could Not Have Done Otherwise – So What?” Journal of Philosophy 81 (10): 553–65, https://doi.org/10.2307/2026255.
5. Dennett, D. 2003. Freedom Evolves. New York: Viking Press.