The Conflict Between the Arguments for Determinism and Freedom

Apolinar Alvarez
Philosophy
Paper Number 3

1.Discuss the conflict between the arguments for determinism and freedom.

Everyone in this world has asked this very old question: Are we humans really

free in our willing and choosing, or are we predetermined to be and to do what antecedent

“programming“ dictates? We feel great for the things we go correct but we feel guilty and

blame ourselves for bad decisions. How can we be sure the existence of freedom exists

and not that its just a plain illusion. We also find ourselves in a dilemma we have to sides

we have the feeling of being free and on the other side we have a feeling of being

determined to accomplish something. In reality we come to the real human dilemma we

are both determined and free; and somehow work around the contradictions until we

achieve a viable understanding on how both can be true. We as humans operate on the

assumption that human beings can be morally and legally responsible -if our assumption

of freedom is false, then life as we live it is a cruel joke founded upon a tragic illusion.

We are not what we think we are; life is not what we think it is; the rules of the game are

not what we thought. Skinner’s way of thinking, “freedom is a myth, and a dangerous

myth because we have invested the myth and its symbol (“freedom”) with something

close to sacred qualities. Freedom is an emotion that is a conditioned response,

conditioned (cause) response. If we can’t explain human choice by cause and effect, then

there is no answer. There is no other way to explain human choice. No explanation for

what freedom means . By selecting specific causes and (stimuli), desire effects

(responses) will result. Sartre is convinced that there is no determinism of any kind . Nothing tells me what to do, I decide; I myself decide, I cannot blame God, or others or

my past environment , I am now what I make myself to be, I have to accept