Freewill
Freewill
The ability to chose, think and act voluntarily.
The belief that humans are authors of their own actions.
These actions are not determined by fate.
Freewill and Ice Cream
You go to the ice cream shop where a deranged stranger forces you to pick raspberry as your flavour. So you pick raspberry. You did not have a choice.
You go to the ice cream shop where there is no deranged stranger. You think carefully about what flavour you'd like and you choose your favourite flavour.Your choice was free.
Or was it?
Think back to your decision making.
Why did you choose that specific flavour?
Why is it your favourite? Why not pick any other flavour?
Did someone introduce you to that flavour?
Was it originally somebody else's favourite flavour?
Write down how this flavour became your favourite.
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Daily Choices
What choices do you make on a daily basis?
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Write down 3 to 5 choices you make on a daily basis.
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Beside them write down why you make those decisions.
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Then write down whether or not you truly had a choice over it.
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e.g. I choose what to eat every morning for breakfast.
Otherwise I would be hungry.
I don't really have a choice as I choose between the options I already have in the house that were bought for me.
Hard
Determinism
The belief that there is no choice or freedom.
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Everything has already been pre-determined and chosen for you.
Consequences
What do you think the consequence would be if we had complete freewill/no freewill?
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Create a table and write 2 to 4 bullet points in each column on what you think the consequences are.
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If you need some inspiration have a think about movies such as Minority Report and The Purge.
Hannah Bonser Trial
Read over the information sheet.
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Do you think Bonser was morally responsible for the murder of the 13 year old girl, Casey Kearney?
REMEMBER to give at least 2 detailed reasons why you came to this conclusion.
Reflective
Question
Did Bonser make these choices or was it always going to happen regardless of what she chose to do?
Reflective
Question
If Hannah had help earlier on would this have changed the outcome of what happened?
Challenge: Upbringing
Does your upbringing determine wha you are going to do later on in life?
Write down your answer with at least one reason why.
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If it does influence you, are you therefore not responsible for your actions?
Write down at least one reason for your answer.
Challenge: Upbringing
Case Study
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Daniel Kellsall was raised by two loving parents. He was popular a school. Highly intelligent and his friends described him as the kindest person they knew.
In April 2015 he brutally murdered Morgan Huxley, a man he had never met before, and returned home for dinner.
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Why do you think this person turned out this way?
Write down at least two reasons for your answer.
Challenge: Upbringing
Case Study
How doe this compare to your previous thoughts on how upbringing affects what someone does in their later life?
Reflective
Question
If everything is already pre-determined, then what is the point in doing anything?
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Or is not doing anything already pre-determined for you?