Philosophy-Free Will

Determinism

is the thesis that at any instant there is exactly one physically possible future (PPF)

Free Will

when a person makes a choice between two or more mutually incompatible courses of action

Physically Possible Future

It is a future such that the past (P) and the laws of nature (L) permit it

Moral Responsibility

you praise/reward people or blame/punish them depending on their actions

ought" implies "can

If a person ought to do something, you must think they can do that thing, and if a person can't do a certain thing, then it can't be that they ought to do that thing

Fatalism

the thesis that no matter what choice a person made, that very same outcome would have resulted

Imcompatilbilism

the thesis that if we have free will then determinism cannot be true, and if determinism is true then we cannot have free will

Compatibilism/Soft Determinism

the thesis that free will and determinism are compatible

The Conditional Analysis of Freedom

say that "S did X freely" just means "S did X because S wanted to do X." They then analyze "S did X because S wanted to do X" as meaning "If S had not wanted to do X, S would not have done X

Surface Freedom

you can do what you desire

Deep Freedom

the ability to form your own desires and purposes

The Argument from Indeterminism for Compatibilism

1) If an action is indetermined, it is a matter of chance.
2) If an action is a matter of chance, it is not free.
So, if an action is free, it is not indetermined.
3) Any action is either determined or indetermined.
So, if an action is free, it is determi

Hard Determinism

the thesis that free will and determinism are incompatible, that determinism is true, and so there is no such thing as free will

Libertarianism

the thesis that we do, in fact, have free will, and so determinism is false

Event Causation

occurs when a prior event necessarily causes a subsequent event

Agent Causation

occurs when an event is brought about through the free action of an agent (person, self)

Punitive Attitude

inflicting punishment; punishing

Therapeutic Attitude

the attitude of trying to help the criminal overcome whatever problems or deficiencies led the criminal to commit the crime