Section 3.2The Mother of Invention

Freedom as Necessity

The Dilemma of Determinism and Indeterminism

• If causal determinism is true, then we cannot act freely because everything we do is caused by forces beyond our control.

• If causal indeterminism is true, then again we cannot act freely because what we do is not up to us.

Soft Determinism and Compatibilism

• Soft determinists believe that causal determinism is compatible with free will.

• In this view, one’s actions can be determined and free.

Principle of Alternative Possibilities

• The Principle of Alternative Possibilities says that one can be held responsible for doing something only if one could have done otherwise.

• The different paths in this “garden of forking paths” represent the different courses of action that you can take at a particular point in time.

The Conditional Analysis of “could have done otherwise”

• Traditional compatibilists offer a conditional analysis of "could have done otherwise:" you could have done otherwise just in case if you had chosen to do otherwise, you would have done otherwise.

Traditional Compatibilism

• Traditional compatibilism is the doctrine that free actions are (1) caused by one’s will and (2) not externally constrained.

• Traditional compatibilists define freedom negatively; freedom consists in the absence of external constraint or coercion.

Thought Experiment: Locke’s Trapped Conversationalist

• “Suppose a man is carried, while fast asleep, into a room, where there is a person he longs to see and speak with; and suppose he is locked in the room…”

• Even though the man doesn’t want to leave, he is not free to leave, for he couldn’t leave if he wanted to.

Thought Experiment: Taylor’s Ingenious Physiologist

• “Suppose…that while my behavior is entirely in accordance with my own volitions…my volitions themselves are caused [by an ingenious neurophysiologist].

• Even though Taylor’s actions meets the conditions of traditional compatibilism, his actions are not free.

Thought Probe: Brain Simulation

• Devices that monitor brain function and stimulate the brain to modify behavior could be implanted in people.

• Should we implant such devices? Why or why not?

Thought Experiment: Taylor’s Drug Addiction

• Suppose one is given a compulsive desire for a drug.

• The drug addict’s subsequent behavior would fulfill both conditions of traditional compatibilism.

• Nevertheless, it would not be free.

Thought Probe: Brainwashing

• Suppose that someone were brainwashed into acquiring a whole new set of desires and beliefs and subsequently acted on them.

• According to traditional compatibilism, would his actions be free?

Thought Experiment: Frankfurt’s Decision Inducer

• In this thought experiment, Frankfurt challenges the principle of alternative possibilities.

• Suppose that Black monitors Jones’s behavior and is prepared to alter it if Jones doesn’t behave as Black wants him to.

• Black insures that Jones couldn’t do otherwise than he does.

• Does Jones act freely?

First-order Desires

• A first-order desire is a desire directed on an object or a state of affairs.

• Desires for food, clothing, and shelter as well as conditions like being healthy, well-informed, and well-paid are first-order desires.

Second-order Desires

• A second-order desire is a desire directed on a desire.

• A desire not to desire to smoke is a second-order desire.

Second-order Volitions

• A second-order volition is a second order desire on which one wants to act.

Hierarchical Compatibilism

• According to Frankfurt, free actions are caused by second-order volitions that one decisively identifies with.

• This view is known as hierarchical compatibilism because it is based on the belief that there is a hierarchy of desires and volitions.

Thought Experiment: Frankfurt’s Unwilling and Wanton Addicts

• Consider two addicts: the unwilling addict desires that he not have the desire to take drugs and the wanton addict has never questioned his desire to take drugs.

• According to Frankfurt, neither act freely.

Thought Experiment: Frankfurt’s Happy Addict

• Consider an addict who has reflected on his addiction and has decided that he likes being addicted to drugs.

• According to Frankfurt, this addict acts freely because he is acting on a second order volition.

Thought Experiment: Slote’s Hypnotized Patient

• Suppose that someone had a second-order volition implanted in him by a hypnotist.

• In that case, acting on a second-order volition would not make the act free.

Ultimate Responsibility

• Our actions flow from our character and motives.

• According to Robert Kane, if we did not have a hand in shaping our character and motives, we are not ultimately responsible for the actions that flow from them.

Thought Probe: The Willing Bank Teller

• Suppose that you are a bank teller and are held up at gun point. You decide that heroics are out of the question and hand over the money.

• According to Frankfurt, do you act freely? Why or why not?