A dilemma for libertarians [electronic resource]
- Bib ID:
- 3187674
- Format:
- Book
- Author:
- Levy, Neil
- Online Access:
- Archived at ANL
- Related Online Resources:
- Publisher site
- Description:
- Melbourne : Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, 2003
- Series:
-
- Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics working papers series ; 2003/5.
- PANDORA electronic collection.
- Technical Details:
-
- Mode of access: World Wide Web and Internet. Available at: http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/arts/cappe/PDF%20Files/Levy3.pdf
- System requirements: Adobe Acrobat reader to access documents in PDF.
- Summary:
-
Abstract: To the extent that indeterminacy intervenes between our reasons for action and our decisions, intentions and actions, our freedom seems to be reduced, not enhanced. Free will becomes nothing more than the power to choose irrationally. In recognition of this problem, recent libertarians have suggested that free will is paradigmatically manifested only in actions for which we have reasons for both or all the alternatives. In these circumstances, however we choose we choose rationally. Against this kind of account of approach, most fully developed by Robert Kane, critics have pressed the demand for contrastive explanations. Kane has responded by arguing that the demand does not need to be met: responsibility for an action does not require that there is a contrastive explanation of that action. However, this responses proves too much: it implies that agent's are responsible not only for the actions they choose, but also for their counterfactual actions which were equally available to them.
- Notes:
-
- Title from title screen (viewed on 15 Aug. 2003).
- Text.
- This Working paper was published on the Charles Sturt University's home page.
- Selected for archiving
- Subject:
- Libertarianism
- Other authors/contributors:
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
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Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
- Published status:
- Published
- Publication date:
- 2003
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.