Philosophy Final UPDATED Questions and
CORRECT Answers
Determinism - CORRECT ANSWER - The view that human choices and actions are
products of genetic and environmental (social) conditioning
Moral Responsibility Thesis - CORRECT ANSWER - An agent can be blamed/praised for
an action resulting in significant harms/benefits to others and/or to the agent, provided that the
action was freely performed.
We are responsible for the actions that we can control.
Question: Is determinism compatible with moral responsibility? Can an action be both
determined and free in the sense of moral responsibility?
Incompatibilist Analysis of "Free Agency" - CORRECT ANSWER - An action is freely
performed only if:
1. the agent chose to perform it
2. the agent was not compelled, coerced or forced to perform it
3. the agent could have refrained from choosing to perform and performing the action at the time
the action was performed
note: condition 3 requires that the action not completely be determined by prior conditioning.
For, given total prior determination of that action, it is not within the agent's power, at the time of
performance, to opt for an alternative course of action.
Relates to Hard Determinism and Libertarianism
Hard Determinism - CORRECT ANSWER - Human actions and choices are the products
of prior conditioning (genetic and environmental) Hence, the third condition specified by the
Incompatibilist Analysis cannot be satisfied. Accordingly, no human action is freely performed
and persons cannot be held morally responsible for their actions
This implies that we are not responsible for our actions because we cannot completely control
them.
This theory appeals to reductive materialists like Holbach.'
, They would not hold Robert Harris accountable because he was conditioned to act the way he
did. He could not have refrained from killing the two boys.
Libertarianism - CORRECT ANSWER - Many libertarians accept the Doctrine of Contra-
Casual free Agency: Actions for which an agent can be held morally responsible are products of
the agent's uncaused will.
[Uncaused will: will not determined by factors external to the will itself]
Such libertarians reject total determinism and hold that it is possible to satisfy all three of the
conditions specified by the Incompatibilist Analysis.
They believe free will is separate, and is not determined by prior conditioning and that people
have the choice to act the way they do.
With Robert Harris they would ask one question.
Did he make the choice to kill the two boys?
Yes he had prior conditioning, but in the end he made the choice and is guilty and accountable
for his actions.
Compatibilist Analysis of "Free Agency" - CORRECT ANSWER - An action is freely
performed if and only if:
1. the agent chose to perform it
2. the agent was not compelled, coerced or forced to perform it
relates to soft determinism.
Soft Determinism - CORRECT ANSWER - Accepts Compatibilist Analysis. Soft
Determinists hold that choices and actions are determined genetically and environmentally, yet a
person is responsible for an action that meets conditions specified by the Compatibilist Analysis
People can be responsible for their actions
They admit determinism but still believe we are responsible for the choices we make that are not
forced.
They would also hold Robert Harris responsible, he was not forced. There was not a gun to his
head saying to he had to kill the two boys.
CORRECT Answers
Determinism - CORRECT ANSWER - The view that human choices and actions are
products of genetic and environmental (social) conditioning
Moral Responsibility Thesis - CORRECT ANSWER - An agent can be blamed/praised for
an action resulting in significant harms/benefits to others and/or to the agent, provided that the
action was freely performed.
We are responsible for the actions that we can control.
Question: Is determinism compatible with moral responsibility? Can an action be both
determined and free in the sense of moral responsibility?
Incompatibilist Analysis of "Free Agency" - CORRECT ANSWER - An action is freely
performed only if:
1. the agent chose to perform it
2. the agent was not compelled, coerced or forced to perform it
3. the agent could have refrained from choosing to perform and performing the action at the time
the action was performed
note: condition 3 requires that the action not completely be determined by prior conditioning.
For, given total prior determination of that action, it is not within the agent's power, at the time of
performance, to opt for an alternative course of action.
Relates to Hard Determinism and Libertarianism
Hard Determinism - CORRECT ANSWER - Human actions and choices are the products
of prior conditioning (genetic and environmental) Hence, the third condition specified by the
Incompatibilist Analysis cannot be satisfied. Accordingly, no human action is freely performed
and persons cannot be held morally responsible for their actions
This implies that we are not responsible for our actions because we cannot completely control
them.
This theory appeals to reductive materialists like Holbach.'
, They would not hold Robert Harris accountable because he was conditioned to act the way he
did. He could not have refrained from killing the two boys.
Libertarianism - CORRECT ANSWER - Many libertarians accept the Doctrine of Contra-
Casual free Agency: Actions for which an agent can be held morally responsible are products of
the agent's uncaused will.
[Uncaused will: will not determined by factors external to the will itself]
Such libertarians reject total determinism and hold that it is possible to satisfy all three of the
conditions specified by the Incompatibilist Analysis.
They believe free will is separate, and is not determined by prior conditioning and that people
have the choice to act the way they do.
With Robert Harris they would ask one question.
Did he make the choice to kill the two boys?
Yes he had prior conditioning, but in the end he made the choice and is guilty and accountable
for his actions.
Compatibilist Analysis of "Free Agency" - CORRECT ANSWER - An action is freely
performed if and only if:
1. the agent chose to perform it
2. the agent was not compelled, coerced or forced to perform it
relates to soft determinism.
Soft Determinism - CORRECT ANSWER - Accepts Compatibilist Analysis. Soft
Determinists hold that choices and actions are determined genetically and environmentally, yet a
person is responsible for an action that meets conditions specified by the Compatibilist Analysis
People can be responsible for their actions
They admit determinism but still believe we are responsible for the choices we make that are not
forced.
They would also hold Robert Harris responsible, he was not forced. There was not a gun to his
head saying to he had to kill the two boys.
