(Libertarian)Free Will
Definition, what does it mean for humans and living things to have free will?
Definition, what does it mean for humans and living things to have free will?
"This view -- that humans are capable of entirely free actions -- is known as Libertarian free will" (1:43 - 1:48)
So... what is it exactly...?
Libertarian free will essentially states that humans can make choices that aren't the result of anything else that has already happened, whether that is by their past, something they did before, etc. Note that this implies that not all human actions are so-called 'free', but some of them have to be, to qualify.
The Principle of Alternate Possibilities
An action is free only if the agent -- that is, the person doing the thing -- could have done otherwise.
Why can't someone believe in both determinism and free will? Is the question so black and white?
By the principle of alternate possibilities, someone who believes in free will believes that some of an agent's actions were made freely, meaning they could have done otherwise. They weren't doomed or destined to make that choice. However, determinism(see the page on hard determinism) would state otherwise. Believing in determinism would mean that everything in the future has already been fixed, and can not be changed. Everything is cause and effect, there is no choice. See other pages to explore arguments and stories that utilize both views.