Abstract Determinism says that the environment, heredity, defense mechanisms, and other influences direct the way people act. Soft determinism states that people are determined, but they also are free. The paper shows that human behavior is the result of different deterministic forces that directs them in making different choices with people not being forced to act in certain ways, because they have the freedom to make choices as shown and stated in the philosophy of soft determinism.
Abstract This paper begins with a discussion and explanation of theories about free will and determinism, explaining that most people believe in both determinism and free will, even though there is a basic contradiction between the two theories. The paper then takes a look at how we can apply the theory of determinism to the study of criminal law and the judicial system if we, at the same time, believe in free will.
From the Paper "Most individuals are inclined to believe that every event or occurrence has a cause, rather than think that things happen haphazardly. The belief that there is a cause to every event is known as determinism. To think otherwise would be considered nonsense. It would be ridiculous if someone thought, for example, that her clock stopped working for no reason whatsoever. Even if no one could determine the precise cause or causes, we still would not accept the idea that the clock's stopping had no cause. Whether the subject is clocks, lights coming on, the workings of a computer, or the common cold, each has a cause. The same could be said for the actions of humans, every action that is said or done have causes. An action is an event. The actions may be caused by hereditary, previous experiences, some peculiarity in personality, the circumstances under which the act occurred, etc. Most would agree that actions have causes; otherwise they would happen by chance and that is thought is frightening."
Abstract This paper explains that philosophers debate, based on Newtonian Determinism, from two views with opposite implications for human life and moral judgment, whether humans genuinely have free will. The author points out that, according to the Hard Determinism point of view, since every individual event is a necessary result of prior causes, the eventual outcome of every single event, which occurs in the universe, is predetermined. The paper relates that Soft Determinism accepts the overall premise that all events in the universe are indeed completely necessary and unchangeable results of events and conditions that precede them, but the distinction between Hard and Soft Determinism is that the latter postulates that free will and the genuine ability to make decisions and to shape our own lives in an ongoing manner are nevertheless possible.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Hard Determinism Implications of Hard Determinism Soft Determinism Implications of Soft Determinism Conclusion
From the Paper "The argument is that only inanimate objects and events (such as the tides, earthquakes, and the solar orbits of the planets) are completely determined by preceding natural conditions and events in the manner that the course of Osmo's life was charted before he lived it. On the other hand, under soft determinism, internal living processes (especially human thoughts) are still subject to free will and mental choices by which sentient beings may determine what happens in their lives, despite the fact that the rest of the (inanimate) universe strictly obeys the principles of hard determinism.
Abstract This paper examines determinism as a philosophical concept that states that all events are determined by prior causes, including human behavior. The paper discusses the differences between hard determinism and soft determinism, including their goals and philosophies. The paper then attempts to prove that "soft determinism" is the more plausible theory.
From the Paper "A universe with no randomness is essentially a predictable universe. Laplace's demon can then predict everything as it's supposed to do. However, a predictable universe is also an assumption. This is the main goal of science - to predict everything in the universe. It is also part of human nature to find patterns, since it's essential for his survival. It's possible that the universe is not random. However, it's also possible that it is. Recent developments in quantum physics suggest that there are tiny random stuff happening inside atoms that make the universe essentially unpredictable. When we add up these tiny random stuff, it cascades up to the cosmic level and some things now become unpredictable."
Abstract The author discusses how self-determination has altered the face of international relations in the last century. The first section of the paper presents an overview of the chronological history of the principle of self-determination, including how it has changed over the last century. Some of the topics discussed in this section includes several examples of self-determination and how it was defined slightly differently in each of the examples. This section also discusses how changes in Europe and the collapse of imperialism, the establishment of the United Nations and its charter and the Cold War all played a role in the pushing the issue of self-determination to the forefront of international relations. The second section discusses the problems that have arisen as a result of self-determination issues in contemporary world politics. Particular attention is paid by the author to the consequences of its change, particularly because of its ambiguity and contradiction with the existence of the nation-state as the main actor in world politics.
From the Paper "Thirdly, self-determination issues escalated in world politics as the result of the end of the Cold War as well as the spread of the effect of globalization. In the case of former Soviet Union, the motive was quitesimilar with that of decolonization era: independence from outside power seizing their sovereignty, while in the other cases are more complex because of the assortment of many factors: ethnical and historical differences, injustices, undemocratic central government or human rights violation. At the end of this section, it could be concluded that the principle of self-determination, through its redefinitions, has played and is still playing a pivotal role in world politics. In its early period, self-determination had close relationship with the conception of sovereignty, nationalism and nation-state, which the latter now becomes the main actor in world politics; while on the contrary, in recent times the right of self-determination tends to subordinate the principle of sovereignty."
Tags: autonomy, conflict, ethnicity, independence, politics, secession, sovereignty, nations, right
Abstract This paper discusses the right of self-determination. It analyses the central problems of the issue, including the extent of its application, taking into consideration the need to balance human rights with political accord, along with the difficult question of, to whom exactly the right applies. The paper further provides a brief analysis of the principle and history of self-determination and then examines contemporary law regarding this area.
Table of Contents:
What is Self-determination?
Self-determination as an International Legal Right
Self-determination as a Right Concerning Claims to a State
The Significance of the Provision- Does it Apply Beyond the Traditional Colonial Context?
Meaning of the Provisions- "All Peoples" - an Individual Right?
Conclusion
From the Paper "The jurisdiction in this area is somewhat conflicting, and demonstrates the difficulty the court faces in reconciling the need to protect and promote fundamental human rights without destructing the already fragile international legal order. The principle of self-determination depends on the majority view of the "peoples". However, as often with human rights principles, the majority view may serve to violate the rights of a distinct minority group, thus failing to protect "all peoples". During the reconstitution of the Soviet Union, the new States were formed by referenda which established the wish for independence. However, the Chechens in Russia, as one example, were not given the opportunity to establish their own future status and neither were the minority groups in Croatia when the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia occurred ."
Abstract The paper discusses social determinants of health, focusing on food, security, housing and the social safety net. The paper explains how these social determinants of health are linked and how they come to influence health. The paper outlines Canada's policy options to improve the quality of these social determinants of health and looks at the barriers to implementing them. The paper shows how, unfortunately, poor housing, food insecurity, and the social safety net are no longer political and economic priorities.
Outline:
Introduction
Housing
Food Insecurity
The Social Safety Net
Pathways
Policy Options for Improving Quality of Social Determinants Barriers to Implementation of Policy Options
Conclusion
From the Paper "Social determinants of health comprise the economic and social conditions that affect the health of individuals, communities, and jurisdictions. Social determinants of health determine health status, the various types and quality of resources the person or group has, as well as how those resources are made available (Raphael, 2004). Resources include income, the availability of food, housing and employment conditions. The approach to health based on the social determinants of health is concerned with "how a society organizes and distributes economic and social resources [and] directs attention to economic and social policies as means of improving health" (Raphael, 2004)."
Abstract In this article the writer identifies the three most important social determinants that shape a consumer's response to Windows Vista. The writer relates that these determinants are increased buying power in the Black community, cultural identity (i.e., that computers have become an extension of individual identity), and convenience. The writer maintains that Microsoft seems to have a good understanding of those social determinants since Windows Vista has operated the company into profits amounting to billions of dollars.
Outline:
The Social Determinants Summary
From the Paper "The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s served as the slingshot for Black consumerism in areas other than technology and computers. However, as entertainment has become increasingly technological in nature, so has the need to understand and become proficient in technology. Simultaneous with the increased income of the Black community is technological advancement in computers. The purchasing power the Black community in the past two decades has been significant amongst young Black adolescents and teenagers and college students.
"While there are few significant studies as regards the Black community and Microsoft Vista specifically, the measurable increase in Black family incomes and the advancement in technology that has seen computers become a product found in most homes in America. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the purchasing power of the Black community has contributed to the success of Microsoft Vista operating system."
Abstract This paper discusses causal determines. Causality, the relation between two items one of which causes the other, is often probabilistic. Causal determinism implies that something must have caused something else. The issue of right versus wrong would not occur if there was no wrongdoing. Three criteria to determine the right versus wrong dilemma are violation of law, departure from truth, and deviation from moral conduct. Ethical theories reflect on concepts of moral issues.
Abstract This paper is an analysis and overview of the concepts of freedom over and against 'determinism'. The position of determinism will be defended in light of a passage or paragraph taken from the work and philosophy of Baron d' Holbach. This paper will begin with a general overview of the positions involved in the debate. In turn, following the overview of freewill, determinism, and compatibilism, this paper will present an analysis of both the 'passage' or 'quote' in question, but also outline some of the tenets and ideas of B.F. Skinner from a work titled 'Beyond Freedom and Dignity'. Next, an argument will be presented which defends a 'soft determinist' or 'compatibilist' argument which is made by A.J. Ayer.
Abstract The conflict between determinism and free will is a long-standing one. It is one of those philosophical issues that might never be fortunate enough to receive a unanimously agreed upon solution, and, for this reason, it is up to each person how he views the issues and seeks to resolve it. This paper explains that, as with most philosophical theories, the relationship of determinism and free will is a contentious issue because they oppose each other, and in order to support one, you need to give up the other. It is generally believed that the two cannot exist together for they are in conflict with each other and, thus, are incompatible. This paper provides definitions of the terms in order to help the reader decide whether the two are compatible or not and if free will has any place in the doctrine of determinism.
From the Paper "Determinism therefore ignores the role of choices or moral responsibility and primarily focuses on the role of previous events or cause in the creation of a new event. For example, when a person misbehaves with an elderly determinism would free him of his moral responsibility to have behaved more properly and instead study the causes of his behavior. Determinists believe that behind every current event is a past cause or event and keeping this view in mind, we would probably acquit the misbehaving person and instead accuse those past causes and events that mad him behave the way he did."
Abstract The controversy between Free Will and Determinism has been debated throughout the history of philosophy, with great emphasis on human personality and choices, meaning that either all actions are freely chosen by this thing called Self, or it always has a prior cause that is beyond the control of the individual. The paper deals with concepts such as "Free Will", "Determinism", "Fatalism", "Compatibilism," and "Indeterminism". The paper clarifies what all these concepts stand for and illustrates how they influenced many diverse schools of thought throughout history by analyzing human behavior in light of these understandings. The paper proposes a compatibilist approach to human behavior, starting with free will, proceeding later with determinism, and finally concluding with compatibilism.
From the Paper "Determinism is a philosophical "doctrine which holds that every event, mental as well as physical, has a cause, and that, the cause being given, the event invariably follows". Therefore, any action, any choice, any decision made by the individual is bound up to prior causes that make him act in a certain way-hence there were no other possible alternative choices that the Self could have chosen, since it was determined beforehand by causes, either visible or concealed. Determinism therefore raises the problem of "moral responsibility" and eventual feelings of "remorse" and "regret" one may feel after a certain action, if they truly believed that they could have done otherwise."
Abstract In this article, the writer looks at the concepts of free will and determinism. The paper focuses on the perception of human choice from the world view of scientific determinism and Hinduism. The paper argues that the admission of a degree of free will in Hindu philosophy is incompatible with the notion of scientific determinism.
From the Paper "The issues to be decided in this research include the following: What is scientific determinism? What is the role of determinism and free will in Hinduism? Is scientific determinism compatible with Hinduism? What forces influence human thought and action? The methodology employed to address these issues includes the use of literature, religious sermons, textbooks, research, journal articles and Web sites devoted to the issues of determinism in determinism free will and Hinduism. Such sources have provided the research from which the following analysis is ... "
Abstract The writer relates how he was diagnosed with a learning disability in high school and only through determination and great efforts could he stay at the pace of his colleagues. The writer tells of his struggle to enter the lacrosse team at university and describes how his determination overcame the difficulties encountered. The writer learns from the saying "Some succeed because they are destined to, most succeed because they are determined to" that he could achieve his goals if he believed in his powers and fought assiduously enough, no matter the obstacles.
From the Paper "A long time ago, when I was merely a child, I came across a saying, which had a great impact on my then easily impressionable mind: "Some succeed because they are destined to, most succeed because they are determined to." Later on, I discovered that the saying was actually a quote from the French author, Anatole France. At that point in my life, I had not the necessary experience to realize the very essence of the quote. Nevertheless, it was engraved deep within my mind since that frail age. Little did I know then that this quote was to symbolize the story of my life, marked by bold and severe struggle to achieve my goals and proudly rise above the crowd."
Abstract This paper weighs the arguments for free will against the arguments for determinism, and decides in favor of free will. The writer explains the religious roots of the debate and how the concepts of free will and determinism involve how the existence and nature of God are understood. A definition of both concepts is provided, and the views of some philosophers on each are given. The writer explains the strengths and weaknesses of both determinism and free will and concludes that though both require that the individual exhibit a desire to learn about that which is not evident, free will and choice guided by reason is the way whereby one can evolve and earn greater responsibility for one's actions.
From the Paper "The issue demonstrates an ethical dilemma that verges on either explaining or dismissing moral guidance. The determination of the responsibility one has to act in a certain way as the responsibility of another is freeing on the one hand and very troubling on the other. If one believes that he or she will always do the right thing, even while doing the wrong thing the challenge to morality is essential and core. In other words the essential idea of determinism places the responsibility for human action into the hands of another, which if one believes he or she has free will it is therefore his or her responsibility to reason and have moral control over one's actions."
