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Three arguments about determinism and free will
When logic is at odds with the desire for human freedom
Okay, folks, we haven’t talked about free will for a while! (Last time was back in April.) And I know you just can’t help yourselves from wanting more. Because you have no free will, of course. So let us take a few minutes to consider three of the most famous and consequential ancient arguments about free will and determinism, arguments that are still being debated by philosophers today.
Warning: the following will involve a bit of use of formal logic, which I will try to keep to a minimum. Then again, logic is crucial to a good life. Don’t believe me? Here is what Epictetus said in response to a skeptical student:
“When someone in his audience said, Convince me that logic is necessary, he answered: Do you wish me to demonstrate this to you? — Yes. — Well, then, must I use a demonstrative argument? — And when the questioner had agreed to that, Epictetus asked him: How, then, will you know if I impose upon you? — As the man had no answer to give, Epictetus said: Do you see how you yourself admit that all this instruction is necessary, if, without it, you cannot so much as know whether it is necessary or not?” (Discourses, II.25)
QED
