Free Will Debate

            One big disagreement and debate that always arises in Philosophy is free will and where the causes from our actions come from. The two sides of the argument are libertarianism and hard determinism. Libertarianism explains that people have some power in voluntary decisions. The free will expressed in this definition is spontaneous free will, which means they can adjust the course of their actions, lives and the world around them. Additionally, some actions are created by other events and people too. On the other hand, hard determinism describes that people have no free will because all events are caused by earlier actions and environment. Also their impression is that their life is already predetermined and they lack moral responsibility in their actions. Since their events in life are already determined then free will is nonexistent in the situation. In my opinion, libertarianism is more plausible than the competitor hard determinism because individuals have a choice in their life but there are certain things they cannot change things that will happen no matter what.

            For explanatory breadth, it questions which theory explains more types of human behavior. Libertarianism clarifies the behavior of human’s more than hard determinism. In order to accomplish human behavior we need to have some free will to do it. Libertarianism is actually able to act on their own belief instead of letting others determine their actions. It also lets us alter the course of the world, which is even more human behavior. Hard determinism cannot say they have the ability to do that since they do not believe in moral responsibilities for their life. Therefore, hard determinism does not have the ability to do as much human behavior because most actions are already determined by previous events for them.

            Hard determinism explains the reason of human behavior in better detail, which makes it explanatory depth. They explain fully all events are determined by earlier psychological, physical or other external causes. Libertarianism fails with providing detail because they just say one has free will to alter their life and then some events are predetermined. They do not express why or how we have free will to do whatever we want. Hard determinism explains their theory clearer and in greater detail by where their actions and events come from.

            Libertarianism is more complex with hidden errors making hard determinism have more simplicity. Hard determinism has fewer parts and assumptions because we know their actions only come from external causes like environments, physical and psychological events. There is nothing to question about the definition because we know that those people have no control over their actions or events in their life. Since libertarianism has two causes this makes it easier for people to find error. Hard determinism has one explanation while libertarianism has two making it more confusing and skeptical.

            Conservatism questions the theory that is more consistent with our current and common sense beliefs. The theory libertarianism provides more current beliefs than hard determinism because people today believe that we have the control over our own decisions. They know some also come naturally from external causes without choice. We all want a purpose and choice in this life and libertarianism allows us to have that. In todays world more people take control of their moral responsibilities because most do not allow other external events control their lives and destiny. People including me want to make their own decisions but there are some things we cannot change that will be in our lives forever. This is why libertarianism is better at providing more current and common sense beliefs.

            In conclusion, libertarianism is a better representation of the cause of human behaviors because we cannot live in a world without any free will. However, in everyone’s lives there are things created by external causes. People need to be allowed moral responsibility or we wouldn’t be able to live our lives and get what we want in life. 

           

1.   Libertarianism and hard determinism are the most plausible explanations of the absolute causes of human behavior.

2.     Libertarianism had much more explanatory breadth and conservatism, where hard determinism has a little more explanatory depth and simplicity.

3.     Therefore, Libertarianism is the best explanation of the absolute causes of human behavior.