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Free Will
Introduction of a Wikipedia article. Complete article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will
Free will raises the question whether, and in what sense, rational agents exercise control over their actions, decisions, choices. Addressing
th
question requires understanding the
rel
be
freedom and cause, and
determini
whether the laws of nature are causally deterministic. The various philosophical positions taken differ on whether all events are determined or not — determinism versus indeterminism — and also on whether freedom can coexist
wi
det
or not — compatibilism
vers
incompatibilism. So, for instance, 'hard determinists' are incompatibilists who argue
th
the universe is deterministic, and
th
this makes free will impossible.
Liberta
are
al
incompatibilists. They believe
th
free will exists and strict causal determinism is false. Their problem is to reconcile
fr
will with
ch
or indeterminism, which threatens to make actions random. The principle of
fr
will has religious, ethical, and scientific implications. For example, in the
re
realm,
fr
will implies that an omnipotent divinity does not assert its
po
over individual
wi
and choices. In ethics, it
imp
that individuals can be held
mo
accountable for their actions. The
ques
of free will has been a
centr
issue
si
the beginning of
phil
thought.