INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY: READING EXERCISE ON COMPATIBILISM
This exercise is worth 10 points, so it must be thorough. Your answers must be typed.
The page references for this exercise are to the handout called “Compatibilism.”
(1) On page 13, Kane discusses two steps compatibilists take to argue that the idea of free
will and determinism are compatible. What are these two steps?
(2) In the paragraph going from page 13-14, Kane raises the question, “But doesn’t
freedom also require alternatives paths into the future, and hence the freedom to do
otherwise?” How does the compatibilist respond?
(3) In the first full paragraph on page 14, compatibilists argue that the freedom to do
otherwise does mean that you would have done otherwise (nothing would have stopped
you) if you had wanted or desired to do otherwise. Does this sound plausible?
(4) In the paragraph going from page 15-16, Kane characterizes a compatibilist claiming
that the ‘deeper’ sense of freedom of will is incoherent. In the next paragraph, Kane
discusses an example involving Molly which shows that this deeper sense of freedom of
the will is really incoherent. Explain this example in your own words as precisely as you
can.
(5) Compatibilists argue that not only do people have confused views about freedom (e.g.
William James), they also have confused views about determinism. Going from page 1820, compatibilists list 5 examples that show that determinism is not the frightful thing we
think it is. List these 5 examples and briefly explain each one of them.