The hottest Compatibilism Substack posts right now

The debate over free will is mostly settled among thinkers, with most agreeing it doesn't exist as we traditionally think. We're influenced by many outside factors we can't control, which affects our actions and decisions.
Many people feel they have free will, but this belief doesn't necessarily reflect the reality of how our minds work. Most academics lean towards compatibilism, which tries to redefine free will to fit our experiences.
Understanding that free will might not exist can actually lead to a kinder society. It helps us see people's actions in context, promoting better ways of handling crime and punishment without the harshness that comes from believing everyone is fully responsible.

Compatibilism argues that even in a deterministic universe, humans can still have free will.
In the debate about free will, one needs to consider which aspects of 'free will' are crucial for concepts like moral responsibility.
Criticism of Daniel Dennett highlights the importance of understanding a philosopher's actual positions before critiquing them.

Sam Harris argues that free will doesn't exist because our decisions are influenced by factors we don't fully understand or control.
The debate over free will involves complex questions about determinism, moral responsibility, and cognitive capacities.
Compatibilist philosophers like John Martin Fischer redefine free will in terms of being reasons-responsive, rather than just the ability to act differently given the same circumstances.

The post discusses a debate with Slavoj Zizek about free will, compatibilism, and incompatibilism, as well as the role of microphysics in free will and moral responsibility.
The author mentions a chat about the essay on the This is Revolution podcast with Stefan Bertram-Lee, happening at 4 PM East Coast time.
The post is for paid subscribers only, with an option to subscribe and access the content.

Harry Frankfurt's work had a significant impact on the philosophical debate on free will and moral responsibility.
Frankfurt's argument challenges the Principle of Alternate Possibilities in determining moral responsibility, leading to a new understanding of free will.
His work on free will and moral responsibility has sparked decades of discussion, reshaping philosophical perspectives and raising important questions about human agency.

Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Compatibilism can feel contradictory at first, but it offers a way to reconcile deep intuitions about control and responsibility with determinism.
The debate around free will and determinism involves conflicting intuitions about moral responsibility, cosmic freedom, and the control condition for responsibility.
The definition of free will can shift from a day-to-day understanding to a radical, cosmic sense when framed within the context of determinism, highlighting the complexity of philosophical concepts.

Our choices are often influenced by external factors we may not realize, such as preferences or mood.
The concept of free will is deeply intertwined with the mysterious nature of consciousness.
The experience of free will may be more complex and ambiguous than we commonly perceive.