Free Will Vs. Determinism

Topic: Free Will Vs. Determinism

Chairman:
Robert Light

Moderator:
Spencer Sinclaire

Meetup Date:
Wednesday, October 28th, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a 15 minute break at 8:00 p.m.

Meetup Location:
Upstairs at The Bent Mast, 512 Simcoe St. Victoria, BC, V8V 1L8

Members:
If you plan to attend, please take a moment and RSVP. If your plans change and you cannot attend, to the right of your name there are three dots, please click on them and move yourself to “Not Going.” Thank you.

Quotes:
“All science is a search for the conditions that determine phenomena.”
― Chapman Cohen

“Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding
as it should.” ― Max Ehrmann

Synopsis:
Free will is the view that humans can genuinely choose their actions, while determinism holds that every event—including choices—is fully caused by prior factors; major positions include hard determinism (no free will), libertarianism (free will exists), and compatibilism (both can be true).

Overview

The debate asks whether human actions are freely chosen or inevitably caused. It affects moral responsibility, praise, blame, and punishment.

What Free Will Claims

1. Individuals can consciously choose between alternatives.
2. Choices are not fully predetermined by external or internal forces.
3. Free will implies moral responsibility for actions.

What Determinism Claims

1. Every action has a cause—biological, environmental, or psychological.
2. Behavior is predictable if all causes are known.
3. Free will may be an illusion created by hidden influences.

Types of Determinism

1. External (environmental): Behavior shaped by upbringing, culture, reinforcement.
2. Internal (biological): Genes, neurochemistry, hormones influence behavior.

Major Philosophical Positions

Hard Determinism: Free will is an illusion; all actions are caused.

Libertarianism: Humans have genuine free choice; determinism is false.

Compatibilism: Free will and determinism can coexist if free will is properly defined.

Watch: "Two Astrophysicists Debate Free Will" on Youtube: https://youtu.be/LXvv6CbGg8A?si=IFh3ATpQzWaqTSLi