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The Center Square
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Migrant worker
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Jan 19th, 2004, 07:29 PM
At any rate, I think the concept of complete, unconstrained free will (philosophical libertarianism) can be ruled out with some certainty. The idea that decisions are made without influence or prompting by biological and environmental forces could strike anyone with a shred of common sense as absurd.
Consciousness is always consciousness of something. Thoughts are never spontaneous, but always brought about by either a sense experience or a recollection of earlier data. If thoughts were to occur spontaneously, consciousness would be a type of causa sui, an uncaused cause, and unless you believe in some type of soul, that would be just ludicrous.
But anyway, on to responsibility--if man's actions or thoughts are caused/determined, can he still be held responsible for them?
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