A Reflection on the Nature of Volition from the Viewpoint of Compatibilism

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Farabi Campus, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran

2 PhD Student of Philosophy, Farabi Campus, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran

Abstract

While some philosophers believe that it is impossible for human acts to be volitional, some others rule for the possibility of it. The first group is called incompatibilist, and the second group is named compatibilist. The compatibilists should both reject the reasons given for incompatibility and provide a theory about the nature of volition which is compatible with determinism. They have given in various criteria for the volitional nature of the free act. The authors of the article at hand aim at first discussing their definitions for the terms volition and determinism and then classifying these criteria into six categories and evaluating them. Having potentiality and being free from constraint, having the ability to conduct reflective self-assessment, having the potential to choose based on one’s valuation system, having the potential for comprehending truth and goodness, having a guiding control, and having an appropriate history are among criteria that have been examined in this article. Finally, it has been concluded that from the viewpoint of compatibilism, an appropriate theory about volition is one which entails all these criteria.

Keywords

References

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Philosophy of Religion
Volume 16, Issue 3
October 2019
Pages 389-410

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