ESSAY
DR1997
determinism.pptDETERMINISM
DEFINITION CLARIFICATION
THE PHILOSOPHIES OF DETERMINISM, FATALISM, AND PREDESTINATION HAVE IN COMMON THE BELIEF THAT PEOPLE NEVER ACT OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL.
DETERMINISM DIFFERS FROM THE OTHER TWO CONCEPTS IN SIGNIFIGANT WAYS.
FATALISM
FATALISM IS A PHILOSOPHY THAT BELIEVES THAT THERE IS A FORCE THAT WILL CAUSE ALL EVENTS IN THE FUTURE TO NECESSARILY OCCUR IN A CERTAIN, DEFINED WAY; THE BELIEF THAT FATE CAUSES WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE, NOT FREE CHOICE.
PREDESTINATION
THE PHILOSOPHICAL BELIEF THAT THE EVENTS OF THE FUTURE MUST NECESSARILY OCCUR AS GOD KNOWS THEY WILL; THE BELIEF THAT THE FUTURE IS PREDETERMINED BY GOD AND THEREFORE NOT CHOSEN OF ONE’S OWN FREE WILL.
DEFINING DETERMINISM
UNLIKE FATALISM AND PREDESTINATION, DETERMINISM:
- DOES NOT CLAIM THAT THE FUTURE IS ALREADY DETERMINED
- BELIEVES THAT HUMAN BEINGS CAN MAKE CHOICES THAT CREATE THE FUTURE
- BELIEVES THAT THE CHOICES THAT PEOPLE MAKE ARE NOT MADE OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL, BUT CAUSED (DETERMINED) TO HAPPEN BY FORCES OUTSIDE THE INDIVIDUAL
IDEAS SUPPORTING THE DETERMINIST PHILOSOPHY
IN MODERN TIMES, DETERMINISM HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF FATALISM AND PREDESTINATION AS THE PHILOSOPHY MOST BELIEVED BY THOSE WHO MAINTAIN THAT HUMAN ACTIONS ARE NOT CHOSEN FREELY. THIS IS LARGELY DUE TO THE INFLUENCE OF THREE WORLD VIEWS:
THE PHYSICS OF ISAAC NEWTON
THE FOUNDING OF PYSCHOANALYSIS BY SIGMUND FREUD
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORAL PSYCHIATRY BY B.F. SKINNER
ISAAC NEWTON (1643-1727)
- DEVELOPER OF THE THEORIES OF GRAVITY AND INERTIA
- DEVELOPER OF THE THEORY OF CAUSE AND EFFECT
- BELIEVED THAT EVERY EVENT HAS A SUFFICIENT, NATURAL CAUSE
- SINCE HUMAN ACTIONS ARE EVENTS, EVERY HUMAN ACTION MUST BE CAUSED BY SOMETHING (NOT DONE FREELY)
- FREQUENT CAUSES OF HUMAN ACTIONS INCLUDE 1) OBJECTS 2) MOTIVES
SIGMUND FREUD (1856-1939)
- DEVELOPER OF MODERN PSYCHOANALYSIS
- DEVELOPER OF THE FREUDIAN THEORY OF THE MIND: THERE EXIST LEVELS OF BOTH A CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS MIND
- DEVELOPER OF THE THEORIES OF THE EGO, THE ID, AND THE SUPEREGO
FREUD (CONTINUED)
- THE EGO: THE PART OF THE MIND THAT INCLUDES CONSCIOUSNESS; RATIONALISM; IT ACTS TO REPRESS THE ID AND SUPEREGO
- THE ID: THE PART OF THE MIND THAT HOLDS OUR IMMEDIATE DESIRES AND PLEASURES; HAS NO CONCERN FOR CONSEQUENCES
- THE SUPEREGO: THE PART OF THE MIND THAT EMBODIES OUR CONSCIENCE; THE IMPULSE TO DO THE MORALLY RIGHT THING; OUR SENSE OF GUILT
FREUD (CONTINUED)
FREUD BELIEVED THAT HUMAN BEINGS HAVE TWO DRIVES OR INSTINCTS WITHIN THEM:
THE LIFE DRIVE (SURVIVAL INSTINCT) SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE LIBIDO
THE DEATH DRIVE (THANATOS) WHICH SEEKS TO ESCAPE LIFE’S CHAOS AND ACHIEVE SERENITY THROUGH NON-EXISTENCE
B.F. SKINNER (1904-1990)
- FOUNDER OF RADICAL BEHAVIORISM PSYCHOLOGY
- BEHAVIORIALISM WAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED BY PAVLOV
- STRESSED THAT POSITIVE, NOT NEGATIVE, REINFORCEMENT WOULD CHANGE UNWANTED BEHAVIOR
ARGUMENTS AGAINST DETERMINISM
- CHAINS OF CAUSES DO NOT PROVE A PARTICULAR ACTION HAS AN OUTSIDE CAUSE
- NOT ALL CAUSES ARE SUFFICIENT AND SOME SHOULD THEREFORE BE TERMED “INFLUENCES”
- EVEN IF DETERMINISM WERE TRUE, INDIVIDUALS MUST BE HELD LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS TO PREVENT HARM TO THEMSELVES OR TO OTHERS
