Free Will: Examining Philosophical Arguments and Perspectives

This essay delves into the complex philosophical concept of free will, examining its definition and the ongoing debate surrounding it. The author explores various perspectives, including those of Henry Frankfurt and the concept of compatibilism, which seeks to reconcile free will with determinism. The essay investigates the relationship between free will, determinism, dualism, and materialism, providing arguments for and against the existence of free will. It discusses the viewpoints of determinists who believe in predetermination, contrasting them with the humanistic approach that emphasizes individual agency. The essay analyzes the role of the mind, body, and soul in relation to free will, and considers the influence of God, laws, and ethical considerations. Ultimately, the essay examines the various philosophical arguments surrounding free will, providing a comprehensive overview of the subject.

Philosophy Free Will

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Free will is a concept which define about ability of an individual to choose, think and act
voluntarily without any of one interference (Fischer, 2011). As per the view points of many
philosophers, a major thing about this concept get identify which is that human beings are
responsible for every sort of actions and reject such ideas which are not acceptable by their own
nature. Self determination is one of a most simple term which define this concept in more and
more adequate manner. There are many authors provide their opinion and interest about “free
will” which will be going to describe in this “Philosophy Free Will” report. Along with this,
Metaphysics – the big question theory states about the project which do not have any sort of link
with reality and present life basis. In present world, a big question is about does really free will
exist and have any sort of link with determinism (Zimmerman and Van Inwagen, 2008)? This
report will lead to answer this question.
MAIN BODY
According to a Henry Frankfurt “My conception of the freedom of the will appears to be
neutral with regard to the problem of determinism. It seems conceivable that it should be
causally determined that a person is free to want what he wants to want. If this is conceivable,
then it might be causally determined that a person enjoys a free will. There is no more than an
innocuous appearance of paradox in the proposition that it is determined, ineluctably and by
forces beyond their control, that certain people have free wills and that others do not.”
Philosopher stated that free will enforce a person to do hat so ever they really want. According to
that, the problem of determinism and free will is become neutral according to author perspective
by providing theory of compatibilism in which arguments are provided which are in favour of
free will not determinism. Thus, free willing for a specified working and enhancing performance
is an essential task. In this essay, I am going to focused on a major thing which is identifying the
compatibility of free will and acting freely with determinism. A major perception which is used
for this assignment is on Frankfurt who was one of a most appropriate philosopher in his Era.
Many people think that fatalism and free will are linked with each other but if such
argument is tru then nothing will get happened according to their own will. Thus, a person
always think in advance what they really want to do and create a image in mind itself.
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If I am going to perform a task then it will consider under free will. I am own responsible
for all my actions because they are related with wish of myself. Such things I really want to do in
a proper manner because they are belong to my personal wish.
From past many years, free will is identify as a best argument option for all philosophers
because some of them contented that free will does not exist on the other hand few of them are in
favour of this concept. According to a “Book of Genisis” it get identify that free will never
present but it is all about our fate because that is predetermine in nature.
Many determinism emphasis that free will never exist because if it really present in
human nature then chances of taking bad decision for a specified course get decline. For
considering free will as a tangible thing or a concept, I have to make sure a proper control on all
my actions which get performed. If I lose my control over on my wish then it will not consider as
free will and consider as determinism. According to human brain analysis it get clearly identify
that a person have potential for cognitive reasoning and better understand what is right and
wrong which aid them in taking corrective judgements (Harris, 2012).
Just make this fact in more simple manner, which stated that we want to wake up every
morning and remain sleep for life time (Kane, 2011). This is not consider as a free will death
obviously who want to get dead with in a night and do not want to get wake up again. Thus, this
fact is already created in just a same manner in which it is design properly. But a major thing
which is related with remain sleep over a night is murder. This is consider as thing which get
done according to will of a person. Thus, others would emphasis this fact as a cause of violence
or a free will but determinism never termed this as a free will and remain say that its a destiny.
Hence, according to determinism everything is getting done just because God wants to do that
but not according to freewill.
Some philosophers argued that “ Free will is more than a illusion in that it cannot even be
rendered coherent”. A freedom of doing things and presenting the view in front of others is
because of laws which are constitute in a country not because we have a free will to do the things
in a proper manner. Thus, free will is just a illusion not a fact thing according to many
determinism and philosophers. They believe in God and have a blind faith on them. But free will
work as a motivation to perform a certain activity properly.
Determinism: Behaviourist people are strongly believe in determinism which get learn
everything from observation not by anything. Free will is just a illusion and disguise a person or
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an individual human behaviour as well (Freewill and Determinism, 2013). Along with this, they
also have a trust over on law according to which if a person commit something wrong or
breaking the law is just because of intention and their free will is associated with it. One of a
major drawback for determinism is related with the nature, responsibility and obligations or law.
Along with this, a psychologist never predict about a human behaviour completely and thus this
is consider as another limitations. For better understanding about free will an individual
behaviour identification is must.
Free will: This concept state about the behaviour of a human and they have tendency to do
something new and creative. Thus, a humanistic approach simplifies that every individual have
free will to do several things and work on moral basis. Exercise of free will get measure with
assistance of free will. Humanistic psychologists signifies on Maslow and Roger theories,
freedom is an essential thing for functioning the whole human body properly. For reacting on
some specified things properly many authors use this concept in reflecting their ideas more
properly (Mintz, 2010).
For identifying the compatibility of determinism, Frankfurt provide his own views that
free will and action free work really exist. For every concern not all the time God is responsible
for that. But this does not mean that God never exist and lose believe and faith in God. God
created everyone but free will is a person self oriented thing which aid him in their motivation
and encourage them to do a certain task.
Dualism & Materialism
Another concept in philosophy of Free will is dualism which state that our mind is just more than
a brain. A dualistic approach work in identify a difference between physical world and mental
stage. Dualism separate both the things a body and a soul from each other. According to
determinism, everything which a person do is a game of mind and a creator who create us. If free
will really taking place, then dualism concept can easily applicable on it because it separate both
mind and body from each other. According to dualist approach which signifies that free will is
linked to immaterial mind. Immaterial mind is essential to for making a free will person but if
there is not a immaterial mind then free will will exist over there.
Materialism is a theory which emphasis that nothing exist in world apart from matter, its
movements and modifications (Free Will, Materialism & Dualism, 2017). Several things which
can be measured or get know with senses are consider under a materialism concept. Philosophers
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stated that determinism are a part of materialism although they believe in things which are
related with God or laws. If a mind is material then there will be no free will.
Both philosophies work in a same direction which are related with free will. Immaterial
mind and existence of material mind both are responsible for lack of free will. Free will is just a
illusion which identify through a material of fact that everything is getting done on the basis of
God wish and nothing else.
Materialism is completely based on things which have physical existence in nature
whether they are mind, emotion etc. Free will is also consider as feeling and consider as material
thing hence, free will is a part of materialism. It is not based on ethical values thus, thus I have to
follow all ethical consideration properly regarding free will. If I am going to disobey this fact,
then it will directly consider under the determinism because following a law is a concept of free
will.
CONCLUSION
A matter of fact stated that many authors provide their own and critical view on free will.
Some provide arguments which are in favour where as several of them are not. Some of the
authors prescribed that it is just an illusion of human being that free will really exist in world for
doing a specified work. Several other and major concepts which are related with philosophy of
free will are determinism, dualism and materialism. Every concept have their own validity and
follow by particular person. Determinism believe in God and regulations and they think that free
will never exist in a human body. Although, several other concepts in such relation are dualism
and materialism. Dualism separate a body from a soul and belong to such things which are
immaterial in nature. Materialism concept is based on the things which include all environment
factors as a material not other thing. Hence, free will philosophies are a major pack of arguments
in which identification about a common conclusion for this is not get analysis yet.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Fischer, J. M., 2011. Frankfurt-type examples and semicompatibilism: new work.
Harris, S., 2012. Free will. Simon and Schuster.
Kane, R., 2011. Rethinking free will: New perspectives on an ancient problem.
Mintz, S. I., 2010. The Hunting of Leviathan: seventeenth-century reactions to the materialism
and moral philosophy of Thomas Hobbes. Cambridge University Press.
Nichols, S., 2011. Experimental philosophy and the problem of free will. Science. 331(6023).
pp.1401-1403.
Smith, K., 2011. Neuroscience vs philosophy: Taking aim at free will. Nature News. 477(7362).
pp.23-25.
Strawson, G. J., 2010. Freedom and belief. Revised 2nd edition with new appendix.
Zimmerman, D. W. and Van Inwagen, P. eds., 2008. Metaphysics: the big questions. Blackwell
Publishing.
Online
Freewill and Determinism. 2013. [Online]. Available through
:<https://www.simplypsychology.org/freewill-determinism.html>. [Accessed on 13th
October 2017].
Free Will, Materialism & Dualism. 2017. [Online]. Available through
:<http://blog.talkingphilosophy.com/?p=8452>. [Accessed on 13th October 2017]
Free Will. 2017. [Online]. Available through :<http://en.proverbia.net/citastema.asp?
tematica=491>. [Accessed on 13th October 2017]
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