Free will : the basics

The issue of whether humans are free to make their own decisions has long been debated, and it continues to be controversial today. In __Free Will: The Basics__ Meghan Griffith provides a clear and accessible introduction to this important but challenging philosophical problem. She addresses the questions central to the topic including: * Does free will exist, or is it illusory? * Can we be free even if everything is determined by a chain of causes? If our actions are not determined, does this mean they are just random or a matter of luck? * In order to have the kind of freedom required for moral responsibility, must we have alternatives? * What can recent developments in science tell us about the existence of free will? These questions are discussed without prejudicing one view over others, and all technical terminology is clearly explained. This second edition has been revised and updated throughout, with the addition of new sections on dispositionalism, free will as self-organization, and situationism in psychology. Up-to-date suggestions for further reading and a glossary are also included, making __Free Will: The Basics__ an ideal introduction for anyone coming to the subject for the first time. "The issue of whether humans are free to make their own decisions has long been debated, and it continues to be controversial today. In Free Will: The Basics Meghan Griffith provides a clear and accessible introduction to this important but challenging philosophical problem. She addresses the questions central to the topic including: Does free will exist? Or is it illusory? Can we be free even if everything is determined by a chain of causes? If our actions are not determined, does this mean they are just random or a matter of luck? In order to have the kind of freedom required for moral responsibility, must we have alternatives? What can recent developments in science tell us about the existence of free will? These questions are discussed without prejudicing one view over others, and all technical terminology is clearly explained. This second edition has been revised and updated throughout, with the addition of new sections on dispositionalism, free will as self-organization, and situationism in psychology. Up-to-date suggestions for further reading and a glossary are also included, making Free Will: The Basics an ideal introduction for anyone coming to the subject for the first time"-- Provided by publisher Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Preface to the Second Edition Acknowledgements 1 Introduction 2 The compatibility issue 3 Moral responsibility and alternative possibilities 4 Some compatibilist proposals 5 Some incompatibilist proposals 6 Other positions 7 Free will and science 8 Where does this leave us? Some concluding thoughts Glossary Index Revised and updated throughout, with new sections on dispositionalism, free will as self-organization, and situationism in psychology. Up-to-date suggestions for further reading and a glossary make this the ideal introduction for anyone coming to the subject for the first time.