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Free Will
Introduction of a Wikipedia article. Complete article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will
Free will raises the question whether, and in what sense,
ration
agents exercise
contr
over
the
actions, decisions, choices.
Addres
this question
req
un
the relationship between
fr
and cause, and
det
whether the laws of nature are causally deterministic. The various philosophical
po
taken differ on whether all events are determined or not — determinism versus indeterminism — and also on whether freedom can
co
with
deter
or not — compatibilism
ver
incompatibilism. So, for instance, 'hard determinists' are incompatibilists who
ar
that the universe is deterministic, and that this makes free will impossible. Libertarians are
al
incompatibilists.
Th
bel
that
fr
will exists and strict
caus
determinism is false. Their problem is to reconcile free will with chance or indeterminism, which
th
to make actions random. The principle of
fr
wi
has religious, ethical, and
scien
implications. For example, in the religious realm, free will implies that an omnipotent
divi
does not assert its
pow
over
ind
wi
and choices. In ethics, it
imp
that individuals can be
he
morally accountable for their actions. The question of free will has
be
a central issue
sin
the beginning of philosophical thought.