Heusser Philosophy 100 SG 9e

Free Will Quiz

Directions: Label the following propositions in Rauhut as true or false:

® 1. All events are caused.

® 2. We are responsible for all our actions.

® 3. In some situations people perform actions, but they are not responsible for what they do.

® 4. In each and every situation in my life, I could have acted otherwise than I in fact acted.

® 5. We sometimes act on desires that are not our own, but which are implanted in us by advertising or peer pressure.

® 6. If we were to roll back time to the year 1950, history would unfold in the same way as it actually did (i.e., President Kennedy would be shot in 1963 in Dallas, etc.)

® 7. God knows what will happen in the future. He knows especially what will happen in my life later on, that is, he know when I will die and what I will have for dinner tomorrow evening, etc.

® 8. Nobody (not even God) can know what will happen in the future because the future has not yet happened.

® 9. If I had experienced a different childhood, then I would make different decisions right now.

® 10. Even if one has a terrible childhood, one can still pull oneself together and make free and responsible choices about one’s life.

® 11. Some people have no choice when it comes to drinking alcohol. They are bound to become alcoholics.

Later: Consider which view (Hard Determinism, Soft Determinism, Libertarianism, or Indeterminism) the statement is most consistent with.

® Suggested Answers:

® 1. All events are caused.

® 1. Determinism (Soft or Hard)

® 2. We are responsible for all our actions.

® 2. Soft Determinism or Libertarianism

® 3. In some situations people perform actions, but they are not responsible for what they do.

® 3. All! All we need for even the libertarian to allow is that just one act is coerced. I suppose it depends on how much of a libertarian one is. Are we free for all acts or just one act? Let us suggest both are libertarian positions. The Hard determinist denies both.

® 4. In each and every situation in my life, I could have acted otherwise than I in fact acted.

® 4. Indeterminism: Yes. Libertarian: It depends. See #3 above. Soft Determinist: It depends on how “free” is defined.

® 5. We sometimes act on desires that are not our own, but which are implanted in us by advertising or peer pressure.

® 5. All! But Indeterminism is not the best answer. Again, it depends on how much freedom the libertarian allows. See #3 above.

® 6. If we were to roll back time to the year 1950, history would unfold in the same way as it actually did (i.e., President Kennedy would be shot in 1963 in Dallas, etc.)

® 6. Determinism (both Hard and Soft)

® 7. God knows what will happen in the future. He knows especially what will happen in my life later on, that is, he know when I will die and what I will have for dinner tomorrow evening, etc.

® 7. Determinism

® 8. Nobody (not even God) can know what will happen in the future because the future has not yet happened.

® 8. Libertarianism and Indeterminism

® 9. If I had experienced a different childhood, then I would make different decisions right now.

® 9. Determinism is the best answer but Libertarianism and Indeterminism may also be true under certain conditions.

® 10. Even if one has a terrible childhood, one can still pull oneself together and make free and responsible choices about one’s life.

® 10. Libertarianism (and Soft determinism but we sometimes are sympathetic to extreme cases of abuse. What do you think?)

® 11. Some people have no choice when it comes to drinking alcohol. They are bound to become alcoholics.

® 11. Hard determinism.