Free Will and Determinism: A Pragmatic View | William James Pragmatism Lecture 3

[@hama11fyffe61]

I think the mystery of human consciousness (Chalmer's Hard Problem of Consciousness) allows for those on the pro-free will side of the debate to still hold some credibility in their views, even in an increasingly scientific, deterministic world. I believe this strange subjective private experience that we call consciousness is so powerful in arguing for free will - this consciousness allows us to reflect on, consider, weigh up, critique and analyse situations of both internal and external worlds. And although many will just say that the brain activity I am describing can be reduced down to chemical reactions and neurons firing, I still beg you to grapple with that final frontier of consciousness (past Dennett's easy problems): qualia. Why do we contain that 'inner movie'? The fact of the matter is, if we were just reactive machines or 'philosophical zombies', as Chalmers likes to call the concept, with no subjective experience of the world, no conscious experience, then it would be impossible to deny determinism. We would be much easier to reduce down to the fundamental natural laws and place into the great causal chain. However, we do have consciousness and it still remains in our way - and it will continue to stand in the way of the determinist as well until Chalmer's Hard Problem is solved.

[@itsawonderfullife4802]

You are right! "It is much more nuanced than that": A deep understanding of determinism and its real implications (and hence what IS and IS NOT compatible with it) really requires a good knowledge of fundamental physics, specially quantum mechanics and special relativity. Most people who talk or have talked about determinism really do not understand it deeply.

[@thenewtowncryer]

you still sound confused.

[@jthewei]

was waiting for this video specifically! makes me think sometimes about the clockmaker theory, the universe was just made and set to start and then everything that happens in the universe is just set in stone by a series of events that lead to another. makes me think if all our decisions are just made from a bunch of molecules reacting in our head

[@PhilosophyToons]

We'd just be rolling through life then almost

[@kapslock8008]

Great video, I havent heard of this pragmatist way of looking at it before. I'd probably bet on the free-willist over the determinist too, but that doesnt change the fact I consider determinism to be closer to the truth. Not sure how to feel about that

[@bonddang9550]

I thought this was a popular channel at first base on how quality the content is but I was shock when you only got 5k sub. You earn a sub bro, you are awesome man. Keep up the good work! This channel will blow up!

[@PhilosophyToons]

Thanks yo!

[@magic_what]

Great video, topic and examples. Thank You! One question I deduct from the pragmatic view is How do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time believe in their capacity to transform? The answer, for me personally, is very adapting to context and relies on values, experiences etc. So I wonder how praise and punishment can or should be ultimately determined. Do we rely on sciences/psychology to tell how ‘free’ an act was. So an arbitrary crime is to be punished more than a crime that is rooted in unfavourable circumstances? In German law this is actually anchored (to an extent) so that personal motives do affect the trial and the judgement.

[@TheMeaningOfNerd]

Salmon 😂🐟 Also, Personally I believe it the compatibility of determinism & free will🙏🏽

[@caglabatur]

your channel really deserves to grow much more!

[@ethangarcia404]

Based on the portrait in the thumbnail I thought you were about to go tell me to clean my room before I read the title

[@flyingscotsman6835]

We aren’t completely free and we aren’t completely determined from the start as if we were completely determined human actions and behavior could be precisely determined but Dostoevsky stated that if you give a man everything he’ll just burn it down which shows that there is something greater going on in the mysterious nature of human consciousness

[@chrisstory5328]

If disbelief in free will has utility, it will be found in the designers of superior social institutions.

[@GurmeetSingh-i4h]

Sir according to instrumentalist universe deterministic or compatiblism or indeterministic?

[@uxle]

This is literally about the last few pages of the lecture.

[@thenewtowncryer]

HOPEFULLY THIS HELPS YOU SPACE CADETS. Diff angle: Pre-determinism vs Pre-disposition? Another important construct: DOF (degrees of freedom); positive correlative relationship with size of frontal lobe.

[@isabella7p]

the argument about the identical future to the present due to determinism is just... wrong. I don't think he understood what determinism means

[@PhilosophyToons]

I agree. That being said, under the determinist belief, do you think that the future is influenced by the past much more than under the free will belief? Relatively speaking

[@isabella7p]

@@PhilosophyToons I think a basic observation of life can prove that it's mostly deterministic. We don't get to choose who we are born to, and that determines most of people's lifes. The genes you get, the country you're born in, the family, your upbringing and the culture that you grow up in. All of that shapes one's personality and narrows down their possibilities in life. Who you are and what you do as an adult is a consequence of everything that happened to you so far. I know people who claim they can't change, but I don't think they chose to believe that, it's their entire life that drove them to that conclusion. Not being able to change is just as deterministic as believing one can change and doing so. I think there's a chance that life is not purely deterministic, but personally I choose to believe that it is, because it truly helps with accepting myself and other people, and generally becoming more detached, content and at peace. In a way it's similar to Christianity and how they put their lifes in God's hands and I think it plays a similar role.

[@Bear-yt6rt]

Well shucks hello again

[@caricue]

I don't think it is a good idea to include belief in your definition of pragmatism. I apply my pragmatism to the very concept of belief and find it not useful at all. As soon as you start believing in something your natural confirmation bias kicks in, and you set yourself up for being totally wrong. As a practical matter I will accept those things that are obvious or easily demonstrable with caution and everything else with increasing levels of disregard. Belief just isn't practical or helpful.

[@tangerinesarebetterthanora7060]

Belief is a precursor to life as absolute truth is impossible. This is in fact why pragmatism is so useful. A philosophy built on useful0pragmatic lies shouldn't be discarded.

[@caricue]

@@tangerinesarebetterthanora7060 Maybe you misspoke, but I would definitely stand on the principle that anything built on lies should be discarded, and as soon as you start to believe in any particular idea or doctrine, you will be required to lie, to yourself and others, in order to support it. This is inevitable because all human ideas are inherently based on too little or faulty information.

[@tangerinesarebetterthanora7060]

@@caricue you would be disregarding the great bulk of scientific principles and formulas. Do you hold any moral convictions? Do you believe what you just commented is true? There are only gradations of truth and falsehood and no objective perspective to view phenomena from. Science ("uncorrupted" by our value judgements is the closest thing we have to an objective truth) but how much of science really is completely detached from the passions of the individual researchers. NONE.

[@caricue]

@@tangerinesarebetterthanora7060 Thank you for making my point for me. Refusing to believe anything is an antidote to egotism and self-delusion. It also saves the embarrassment of misspeaking or getting something obviously wrong. As I said, I accept that which can be easily seen or demonstrated, and using various heuristics, I can assign a level of confidence to everything else, but never 100%, since that would constitute a belief, in the strictest sense of the word.

[@tangerinesarebetterthanora7060]

@@caricue yeah we probably agree. it all comes down to semantics.

[@lourdezbryman6438]

THIS FALLS UNDER THE "NONSENSICAL", RIDICULOUS QUESTION. LIKE THE QUESTION, WHICH CAME FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG? ASKING THIS QUESTION, IS WORTHY ONLY, FOR ENTERTAINMENT, BUT NOT OF ANY SERIOUS DEVOTION. EARTHLINGS. LOL.