Free Will And Determinism Essay

The concept of free will plays an important part in our apportioning blame or praise, and our holding persons morally responsible for their behavior and actions. In the philosophical work devoted to free will there is no strict definition of this concept but it is widely believed to be a condition necessary for moral responsibility. Proponents of determinism, libertarianism, and compatibilism explain the importance of free will in their theories each in their particular way (Compatibilism; Lecture Notes on Free Will and Determinism). Silenus Silenus, the central hero of Stephen Robinett’s â€Å"The Satyr† story, can be regarded as a staunch proponent of philosophical hard determinism. Like a true determinist, Silenus, a satyr, does not believe he is responsible for his actions and behavior because he is the creation of another person, namely Hench. He explains his enormous interest in ladies as well as his promiscuous behavior by the fact that Hench gave him the extra Y-chromosome which became a major determinant of his behavior (Robinett). According to the satyr, only human beings can be held responsible for what they do. As Silenus does not consider himself a human being on the one hand, and as he was created by Hench on the other hand, it is the latter that Silenus believes is responsible for him and for anything he does. Silenus maintains that he does not know exactly why he does things and that it is Hench who made him like this, and thus it is Hench who should be held accountable for the way Silenus is and behaves (Robinett). However, nowhere in the story does Silenus give any clear explanation why he believes this. All in all, it is obvious that he does not care about responsibility at all, but considers it a useful, although peculiar, notion, which he often uses to appeal to Hench’s sense of responsibility in order to influence his decisions in his favor. Silenus’ desires and inclinations are caused by factors and circumstances which are outside his control and for which, therefore, he should not be held responsible. All he seems to be interested in is having sex with ladies and taking a drop every now and then. As we know it from the story, his love for ladies is caused by the extra Y-chromosome that Hench gave him. We can also assume that his disposition to alcohol has something to do with the â€Å"material† he was synthesized from, too. From Silenus’ deterministic perspective, it follows that he is not accountable for his decisions and actions as they are not free but are the result of his desires over which he has no control and which he is not able to resist. Libertarians would suggest that Silenus’ actions are actually free, depend on his reason and volition, and are not predetermined by any factors such as the extra Y-chromosome. From the compatibilistic perspective, Silenus’ desires are caused by the above mentioned factors but as he is still free to choose in many situations then he should be held responsible for his actions. There is plenty of evidence in the story that Silenus is able to control his behavior. For example, at Merton’s offices Silenus became interested in the receptionist, â€Å"a bird-legged girl†, who made him sexually excited. When she left him after several awkward attempts to have sex with her, Silenus at first intended to chase her but then decided to let her go (Robinett). Given the influence of the extra Y-chromosome, the receptionist’s body must have clouded Silenus’ mind. However, he was able to control his strong sexual desires at that moment because Hench could hear her screams and come to punish him. Another good example of Silenus’ ability to control his behavior can be seen during the meeting with Merton. Silenus was constantly interrupting Hench while the latter was talking to Merton. When Hench got angry, he told Silenus to be silent or he would punish him later by not feeding him properly. Although Silenus was eager to appear as a disobedient and unreliable creature, he stopped immediately misbehaving himself and annoying Hench because he did want to eat that night. One more example is a clash between Hench and Silenus which broke out when they came home after the appointment with Merton. When Hench slapped Silenus, the satyr felt like grabbing and throwing his creator across the room. But Silenus managed to control his anger because he realized that if he hit Hench he would never convince him not to sell him into slavery (Robinett). All these examples show that Silenus can, if he wishes to, control his behavior. The above mentioned examples of Silenus’ abilities to control his especially violent or unacceptable behavior also show that Silenus is able to draw causal inferences in this story. In these situations he demonstrates his awareness of the possible consequences of his actions (which could be disastrous for him) and decides to avoid them. It follows that in most cases Silenus behaves well or does not do unacceptable actions not out of a sense of deep understanding of the consequences of such behavior and, what is particularly important, responsibility for his actions, but only because he tries to escape punishment. In many other cases (for example, when he forced Audrey to have sex with him), his unacceptable behavior can be explained by the fact that Silenus, as a rational being (and he proves several times in the story that he is indeed a rational being) must realize his moral responsibility for his actions, but also understands that he is likely to escape punishment for them. As a rational being, Silenus is fully capable of drawing causal inferences of his behavior, but his acceptable or unacceptable behavior depends on whether he is likely to be punished for it or experience certain inconveniences because of it and not on his sense of moral responsibility for his actions. In every situation Silenus has the choice whether to follow his inclinations and behave in an unacceptable way or whether to postpone the satisfaction of his desires to a later time. As we can see, in some cases Silenus postpones his intentions to do certain things, but in other situations he prefers to misbehave himself rather than control himself. So in most cases it would be incorrect to conclude that Silenus could not do otherwise than he did. Silenus is in fact a drunk who avoids responsibility for his drinking habits. But the question of Silenus being a drunk should not be restricted only to this vice. He is also fond of having sex and likes being fed well. It would be fairer to describe Silenus as a person who has some bad habits and preferences (like most humans have) and tends to satisfy some of his vicious needs and inclinations but who does not want to be held responsible for his actions. For Silenus, it seems easier to enjoy life and satisfy his desires than to control them and be responsible for his actions. Silenus holds clear deterministic views on the extent of his moral responsibility for his actions. Determinists believe that human behavior, decisions, and actions are determined and caused by prior occurrences (Determinism). If all human actions are predetermined then there is no free will and humans are not morally responsible for what they do. Contemporary determinists also believe that human behavior is determined by some external causes which are beyond man’s control, particularly genetic and environmental factors (Geisler). We do not know exactly whether Robinett’s Silenus has ever heard of determinism and free will, but he successfully applies deterministic views to explain his behavior. He believes his behavior is determined and caused by his genetic constitution that was given to him by Hench and that his inclinations that are caused by this constitution can’t be controlled. Silenus maintains that if he is not responsible for what he is made from, then he can’t be responsible for what he does. Although Silenus’ position about behavior and responsibility corresponds to the views of proponents of determinism, it is obvious that Silenus’ arguments do not at all reflect his philosophical deterministic position in life, but rather are a convenient excuse for shifting moral responsibility for his actions to others. Silenus versus Hench Silenus’ â€Å"I am not responsible for what I am† and Hench’s â€Å"You are responsible for what you do† are in fact compatible. Hench created Silenus with certain predispositions which make him likely to behave and act in a particular way in certain situations. Hench is the author of Silenus’ predispositions and the one who shaped Silenus’ character. Silenus has nothing to do with the â€Å"material† he was made from and he is right when he says that he is not responsible for what he is. But Silenus is also a rational being and in several cases he demonstrates that his decisions are based on reasoning. He is also able to control and guide his behavior. It follows that it is Silenus, not Hench, who can be held responsible for what he does. So both Silenus’ and Hench’s positions are correct and compatible. In this story, the problem is that Silenus is not responsible for what he is and extends this irresponsibility to what he does. In the beginning of the story, Hench agrees with Silenus’ view of the extent of his moral responsibility. In his discussion with Audrey, Hench maintains that as Silenus’ creator he is fully responsible for him. Hench does not consider Silenus a human being and maintains that he is not able to take care of himself and assume responsibility for what he does. Hench even goes so far as to state that he is responsible for everything Silenus is or does because Silenus is exactly what he, Hench, made him (Robinett). However, we can also see Hench criticize Silenus for his unacceptable behavior, because he does not control his desires, and also suggest that Silenus should be responsible for his actions (Robinett). It seems there is a certain contradiction in Hench’s belief of responsibility for Silenus. On the one hand, he feels responsible for Silenus’ actions because he is his creator. On the other hand, although in Hench’s view Silenus is not a human being, he is at least a rational being as he often demonstrates his ability to express thoughts and explain things that are based on reasoning. Hench believes that Silenus should at least try to be responsible for his actions and control them (Robinett). We may assume from what we read in the story that there is some struggle in Hench’s mind as to whether only he should be held responsible for Silenus’ actions or whether this responsibility should be shared between both him and Silenus. As we read on, at the end of the story Hench comes to the conclusion that Silenus should be held accountable for his behavior, too. Although this conclusion is reached on the basis of his personal grievance against Silenus (because Silenus had sex with Audrey), it is clear that now Hench is firm in his opinion that he is responsible for what Silenus is, but not for what Silenus does. Gorr Michael Gorr is a proponent of the compatibilistic theory. Unlike libertarians, who maintain that humans have free will which is incompatible with determinism, compatibilists believe that determinism and free will exist and are in fact compatible ideas. According to this belief, free will is not a person’s ability to make a certain choice independently of prior causes and events, but a person’s ability to choose when he or she is not forced to do it. Compatibilists do not deny that our choices are predetermined, but they emphasize that the choices we make are examples of free will if we are not forced to make them. But if we are forced to make whatever choices we make, then this is an example of a lack of free will (Compatibilism and Incompatibilism). If a person’s action is coerced, then this person is not responsible for it. But if a person’s action is not coerced, that is, under certain circumstances the person can do otherwise, then this person is accountable for the action. Gorr’s compatibilistic position is seen in his example of â€Å"knocking down Jones†. Gorr maintains that in the case where another person pushes him and makes him bump into Jones, he should not be held responsible for his action as its consequence is not a result of his intention or choice. In the case where he deliberately bumps into Jones and injures him, he is accountable for his behavior because he could do otherwise. Gorr states that we are responsible for our actions only when we desire for these actions to occur (Gorr). Gorr accepts, unlike libertarians, the deterministic universal causation, but he rejects the deterministic belief that humans are not to be held responsible for their actions because their actions are determined and caused by factors which are beyond their control. He agrees with Hench who states at the end of the story that Silenus is responsible for his behavior which is the result of his desires even though he is not responsible for his genetic constitution that determines and causes his desires. Gorr maintains that it is not necessary to be responsible for one’s desires in order to be responsible for one’s behavior. For Gorr, it is more important to have control over one’s actions and   not to have control over the causes of these actions. So long as we have control over our actions and it depends on our choice whether these actions will occur or not, Gorr concludes, we are responsible for these actions. And Silenus, regardless of his genetic constitution and environment, should be held responsible for his actions (Gorr). Conclusion We can partly reject determinism as philosophical proposition and do not agree with the belief that whatever we do is predetermined and we can’t control it or do otherwise and are,   therefore, not to be held responsible for what we do. But it seems wrong to reject or neglect the notion of universal causation which determinists believe is integral to their theory. It would be wrong to deny that some events are caused by other preceding events, and the latter were caused by earlier events, and so on. It seems there exists an unbroken causal chain of which humans are part. Similarly, it would be wrong to deny the importance and influence of factors such as heredity or upbringing on how we make our decisions or choose to behave in a particular situation. So every event has its cause and every human action is also caused by certain factors. What does seem important in this case is, as Gorr points out, the difference in the kind of causation (Gorr). Our genetic make-up and the environment are important, but not the only, factors which predetermine or guide our behavior as we can often control them and choose to do otherwise than these factors predispose us to do. Personally, I can’t accept the deterministic position that everything that exists or occurs has a sufficient reason for existing or occurring as it exists or occurs, and not otherwise (Causal Determinism). It is hard to believe that human actions are predetermined, are not free, and can’t be changed (hard determinism), or that there is chance they could be changed (soft determinism). I do not particularly like the idea that since human actions are not free humans are not to be held morally responsible for them because in my view this promotes certain moral chaos. I am not convinced by the indeterministic position that all human acts are uncaused. I share the libertarian belief that humans actually do have free will, but like Gorr, I do not believe it is incompatible with deterministic causation. That is why I am most inclined to accept compatibilism which is something in the middle between determinism and libertarianism and does not disparage deterministic causation and accepts free will, and therefore, moral responsibility. I believe that my actions can be in fact predetermined by several factors, but in many cases I still have the possibility to choose between two and more options, and that I should be held responsible for whatever the consequences of my choice are. BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. Causal Determinism. Retrieved January 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/determinism-causal/ 2. Compatibilism. Retrieved January 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/compatibilism/ 3. Compatibilism and Incompatibilism. Retrieved January 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compatibilism 4. Determinism. Retrieved January 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Determinism 5. Geisler, N. Freedom, Free Will, and Determinism. Retrieved January 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://www.mb-soft.com/believe/text/determin.htm 6. Gorr, M. Being and Doing: Some Thoughts about Responsibility. Though Probes. 7. Lecture Notes on Free Will and Determinism. Retrieved January 27, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://www.sfu.ca/philosophy/swartz/freewill1.htm 8. Robinett, S. The Satyr. Thought Probes.

Apple Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Apple Analysis - Essay Example However, the industry for digital goods is open to multiple pulls and pressures owing to the new technological inputs and ever altering consumer preferences. In that context Apple is not only endowed with multiple strengths, but the firm also faces many challenges ensuing from equally aggressive and market driven competitors. No wonder Apple has been able to register an impressive financial performance in the wake of the current economic meltdown. However, the firm always needs to be on its toes to avoid a dilution of market share at the hands of companies that are innovation driven and aggressive. Introduction It was Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak who founded the Apple Computer Inc. in the year 1976. Apple started as a small company that manufactured computer software and hardware. In the current times it is certainly not wrong to say that Apple is a leading company that manufactures consumer goods like tablets, Smartphone and mp3 players. It owes only to the exclusiveness and start o f the art nature of the Apple products that the firm today enjoys a large customer base all over the world and Apple products are known for their sophistication and innovation. It was in 2007 that the Apple Computer Inc changed its name to Apple and opted for expanding into the market for digital goods while retaining its traditional focus on computers and laptops. Since then Apple has successfully evolved from being an exclusively computer based company to being a company that is known for innovation and technological ingenuity. Thereby, the purpose of the paper is to analyze the position of Apple in an ever expanding market for digital products. ... ere is no denying the fact that the demand in the industry of digital goods like computers, tablets and cell phones has been predominantly driven by innovation (Collins 5). Thereby the key focus of the organizations producing digital products is to use innovation to come out with innovative products and to cost effectively and efficiently produce digital gadgets (Collins 6). Hence, going by these demand drivers, Apple’s key thrust has been to introduce innovative products in a cost effective manner and that is why Apple has been playing a dominant role in the industry for digital goods. When it comes to the industry for digital goods like tablets and cell phones the other salient factors that determine the market success tend to be the designing of the product, speed, product utility and usability and memory. Thereby the market for computers is poised to pursue a mildly warm growth in the coming years owing to a highly developed market that has not been able to introduce more innovative products (Stone 48). Yet, when it comes to the portable music products, this sector has evinced tremendous growth and is expected to do well in the coming years (Binks 28). Hence, the organization that are innovation driven and have made tremendous R&D investments and that have the capability to learn from the past experiences will certainly do well in the future. In that context Apple has certainly done well when it comes to pursuing competitive strategies that assure the product success and organizational profitability. Not only Apple has managed to accrue a loyal customer pool, but, is also quiet known for producing innovative and differentiated products. Also when one takes into consideration the aura generated by the products like iPhone and iPod, Apple is not only expected to

(research on why) John Quincy Adams was consider the best Secretary of Essay

(research on why) John Quincy Adams was consider the best Secretary of State in U.S. History - Essay Example Among the many provisions of this treaty, the highlight of the agreement was setting the boundary between British North America and the United States. Britain was told to abandon the Northern access to the Mississippi River. Another among Adams’s stunning successes as a Secretary of State was his triumphant acquisition of Florida. Ever since the purchase of Lousiana, border issues particularly concerning Florida had been a problem (Peil, 1997). Different administrations struggled to include Florida, which was back then was a Spanish territory without any presence of the Spaniards but with runaway slaves and Indian raiders. Despite all the efforts, it was only Adams who had victoriously negotiated the territory of Florida through making the Spanish minister sign the Florida Treaty, also known as the Adams Onis Treaty. Thus, the Spaniards had given up to United States all the entitlement to Florida. This former secretary was able to successfully won Florida to United States through justifying that events that involved General Andrew Jackson such as forcing the Indians to go south, exterminated the British suppliers of weapons, and others, were just evidences that Spain could not govern her territor y (Chace and Carr, 1988). Moreover, another striking achievement of Adams was the Monroe Doctrine in 1823. Indeed, this doctrine had the name of the president on it but Adams was primarily the author of the said policy. According to LaFeber (1994) and Tremblay (2004: 133-134) , the Monroe Doctrine stated that the United States of America would consider all efforts of the European powers to colonize or interfere with the states inside the boundaries of America as forms of offense. Thus, the United States should intervene in all the kinds of invasion by the European countries. This policy was a mechanism serving as prevention

Legalizing Performance Enhancing Drugs Research Paper

Legalizing Performance Enhancing Drugs - Research Paper Example It is about time when the law and policy makers stopped being hypocritical and paranoid about the use of PEDs, and sought their legalization instead. This is an obvious question. Why is there a debate on this issue in the first place? Performance enhancing drugs can simply be banned because they give an added advantage to their users. Then why are people objecting to the ban? Do they wish to be unfair? Not exactly. Banning of PEDs has led to the introduction of other evils apart from further aggravating their illegal use. For instance, while anti-doping policies in sports seek to â€Å"level the playing field† and prevent sportsmen from taking unfair advantage, they have not been successful at this attempt (Kayser, Mauron and Miah 521). Sportsmen who intend to use them do so without fail, and many go undetected. This proves to be unfair for those who do not use such drugs out of fear of being caught. This has not at all leveled the playing field, as illegal use of drugs is already prevalent among sportsmen. It is just that most of them are not being caught. According to Herper, to address the issue of illegal doping by spo rtsmen: The most obvious solution has always been to legalize those drugs that work, and to experimentally monitor new entrants, including dietary supplements, for both efficacy and safety. Biological improvement would be treated much as athletic equipment like baseball bats and running shoes. If these drugs are legalized, it will at least be possible to monitor the use of such drugs and even level the playing field as those innocent players who were earlier deterred from using them

Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Movie Review Example For that reason, people need to come up with solutions for this crisis. In this essay, I shall try to review the solutions given in the documentary. First, we shall tackle water wastage. It is a miracle that people can take up to one hour in the shower. This is a clear wastage of water. People need to take shorter showers or better yet resort to baths, which would require the use of less water. The film also talks about the pollution of fresh water sources that prevent the use of water. An example of such pollution involves the use of the herbicide Atrazine. This herbicide is still used in the United States of America, despite being banned in countries such as Switzerland. The herbicide is so toxic that it decreases fertility in human males by reducing their sperm count and also causes prostrate and breast cancer. Therefore to solve this problem, the state needs to ban the use of all toxic chemicals that pollute our fresh water reservoirs. The next documentary that I shall review is called â€Å"The Intersection Between Justice and Sustainability: Voices and Views from South Phoenix†. This documentary mainly involves interviews carried out on the residents of South Phoenix. In this essay, I shall reflect on the actions taken by community leaders profiled in the film to address the 10 sustainability principles. In every city, social inequality, marginalization, and containment are some of common injustices experienced. One of these community leaders is Steve Brittle the founder of Don’t Waste Arizona. This is a non-profit environmental organization that was formed to protect, conserve, and preserve human and natural environment. One of the main problems that Phoenix faces comes from Innovative Waste Utilization. This company is located in a neighborhood mainly comprising of African American and Latino families and poses great hazard to these families. Furthermore, this waste facility planned to

Reflective evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflective evaluation - Essay Example There are quite a number of occasions when I wanted to tell more to drive a point across, but the time allotment is not enough to allow me to do that. Another problem that rose from this is knowing what to include or omit in the presentation slides. I had to use other means of presenting data. For this particular report, I used tables extensively to give the results of my literature review and interview. However, pictures, charts and graphs are also commonly used in compressing many messages in a smaller space. However, it is better to have a lot to omit than having less to include. As I look back to how I prepared for and delivered this presentation, I now realize that it is better to come overprepared. It gives me added boost of confidence in the delivery of the report, as well as in answering questions from the members of the audience. Whenever presentations are to be given, research is vital. Acquiring sufficient knowledge is required to be able to discuss the points adequately. However, sufficiency of information does not only depend on quantity, but also on their quality. This means that the information should come from reliable sources, which are experts in the field in question. In this particular presentation, I felt that I have researched many and various journal articles to sufficiently support the points that I want to drive at.

INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS - Essay Example However, this relationship is weak. Finally, sales per square meter and sales floor space of the store i the only combination with a negative relationship. The two variables have a correlation coefficient of -0.29379 which implies that when one variable increases, the other one decreases. The graph above displays data points that resemble a rising line from the left hand side to the right hand side of the graph. Even though most of the points are clustered to the left of the graph, the slope of the assumed line (line of best fit) is positive. This shows that there is a positive correlation which implies that the more the number of full-timers, the more the sales per square meter. This plot supports the calculated correlation coefficient (0.237185). Since the calculated t is greater than the tabulated t (4.876932>1.96), we fail to accept the null hypothesis and conclude that the relationship exists between sales per square meter and the number of full-timers. From the above graph, data points resemble a rising line from the left hand side to the right hand. Most of the points are clustered to the left of the graph but the slope of the assumed line (line of best fit) is positive. This depicts that there is a positive correlation implying that the more the number of part-timers, the more the sales per square meter. Moreover, it supports the calculated correlation coefficient of the two variables (0.050085). Since the calculated t is smaller than the tabulated t (1.001704