Determinism: Difference between revisions

'''Determinism''' is the belief that everything that occurs in the universe is 100% caused by everything that occurred before it since the beginning of time. They argue that anything else would violate laws of cause and effect. Many famous philosophers from the very beginning of philosophy have been some form of determinist, though a common project throughout history has also been to reconcile free will with determinism.

Opponents to determinists are indeterminists. These are often called 'libertarians' (not in the political sense). Indeterminists instead self-identify under a number of religions and philosophies which believe things such as Cartesian dualism, which is the idea that the human psyche is so unique it can operate as a unique cause. Historically, indeterminists were identified with religions, especially Christianity, as seen by Thomas Aquinas's famous defense of free will.<ref>https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nbfr.12102</ref> However, radical forms of indeterminism are rare. Some other forms of indeterminism exist, including Humean approaches to universal laws.  

 

Hard determinists do not believe in free will, and consider the concept illogical. Hard Determinism is at odds with political and social movements that place a strong emphasis on personal responsibility, including [[neoliberalism]] and associated movements. This philosophy has been criticized largely for its potential social ramifications, such as lack of agency and responsibility, claims it inevitable leads to fatalism, and so on.