Without free-will then the concepts "ought,duty,right,compassion,etc." dont mean anything and don't exist since we have no choice. Why do we get mad when people treat us bad..is it our instinct that they "shouldn't" have done it? With this in mind..if the universe is controlled by the laws of nature>>does our free-will reveal that there is another unseen reality??
2006-07-13 10:33:30 · 6 answers · asked by esero26 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Kantian Philosophy
2006-07-13 10:33:56 · update #1
Are you saying that what you wrote is Kantian Philosophy? Kant believes in free will, but not in objective morality, but rather subjective morality based off of the "categorical imperative" which develops universal laws.
I do not agree with Kant because I believe that morality is objective, ie that the morality exists independent of free will, and does so in accord with a hierarchy of values. All things, all choices, are in someway good, but the moral choice is the choice that corresponds to the hierarchy of values.
When we are treated badly, we recognize that we are not being treated in accord with the value of good that we possess. We must be careful not to take into account here things of sentiment, for we might feel bad but our bad feeling might not be in accord with the hierarchy of values.
What you call instinct, is our attenuation to the Good, which is what we seek after. All living things seek out good things and as humans we seek according to a rational nature. So we know when we are treated badly, that it is not simply because of our sentiment, but because we rational know that it is not in accord with the Good. Thus we can seek to modify our situation to a higher degree and seek after the Good in a better context.
I would agree that we notice that the universe is controlled by the laws of nature and that free-will helps us to understand the "unseen reality" by our ability to navigate the hierarchy of goods(values). But I would not say that morality/ethics exists solely because of free will. Those things, creatures and what not, that do not have free will, do act morally. For example, it is moral for a bear to hunt fish because by hunting fish, the bear fulfills its duty and achieves the type of good/value that was given to it. Can a bear act immorally? No because, lacking free will, the bear is unable to choose a good that is not in accord with the hierarchy of good/values that it has to choose from. For example, the killing of a human by a grizzly is not immoral, because the decision to kill is not based on rationality or free will, but rather on instinct.
2006-07-13 12:13:51 · answer #1 · answered by Liet Kynes 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Interesting question. I am a Christian so I will answer this question based on what I believe. God gave man the right to choose between life and death. Each choice has its consequences. I believe giving us free will was one of God's acts of love for man. He didn't want robots, he wanted us to choose and love him on our own; just like we do when we love someone. About people treating us bad. It only has to happen one time. If it happens a second time it is because we allowed it. Yes, our free will does reveal that there is another unseen reality. That reality is God Almighty who created everything.
2006-07-13 10:42:32 · answer #2 · answered by n 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You run into this difficulty because you only go half way with the logic. If someone treats me badly without choice, my complaining is also without choice. This is why the debate about free will is vacuous. If everything that happens is determined (the term pre-determined is redundant) then it is ALL determined, we can't change anything by pointing out that it is determined. Even if there seems to be a change, that was determined, too. If we have free will, the question is also, obviously, mute. Now, I’m not saying don’t have the debate – after all, you may not have a choice.
2016-03-27 04:12:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe completely in free will. I don't think the Bible has any relevance at all without it. I believe though that some things are meant to be, but definitely not everything. Even the Bible shows us when God was surprised at the actions of man. That wouldnt have been the case if God predestined everything.
2006-07-13 10:37:18 · answer #4 · answered by impossble_dream 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Morals, ethics and free will do not exist. neither do ought, duty or right. Compassion may exist.
2006-07-13 10:37:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it "free will" if one has to follow someone else's road map?
2006-07-13 10:37:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋